Irish words of wisdom

"Contending against knowledge,

contending without proofs,

Taking refuge in bad language,

A stiff delivery,

A muttering speech,

Hair-splitting,

Uncertain proofs,

Despising books,

Turning against custom,

Shifting one's pleading,

Inciting the mob,

Blowing one's own trumpet,

Shouting at the top of one's voice."

The Story of the Irish Race, 1921, Seumas MacManus.

The great Irish king Cormac MacArt on what makes a bad lawyer, circa the tenth century.  Some things never change. 

What a Coach Can Do....

Some folks think you need to be an under-achiever to benefit from a personal life coach.  Not true!  Here's a story about a highly ranked education professional, an expert in career creation, who attributes much of his personal and professional success to using a coach.  "All along, he worked with an executive coach who helped him figure out what motivated him and how to be a better manager, father, and community member."

His coach helped him build a dynamic career and help others in the process.  How could a coach help you?

Getting Started #1 (Mornings)…

Technorati Tags: mornings,waking up,bedtime,good sleep,sleeping,getting started,coaching,life coach,manifestation coaching

"Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."  --  Will Rogers

Getting up in the morning can be one of my most difficult lifetime challenges. Some mornings, even though I can hear the birds chirping outside my sunny bedroom window, elevating myself up from my deep morning's sleep can seem an impossible and unwelcome chore. I used to joke that I'm not fully awake until 10 o'clock in the morning, but as I get a little older, it becomes that much less of a joke.

Speaking of the office, by the time I get there and face the piles of paper on my desk, I'm not so happy to be awake. Is it any wonder that the first thing I do is drop my briefcase and headed across the street for a strong cup of coffee?

Of course, similar pattern emerges from me when I start on projects. I suppose you can begin to see the pattern yourself: the only thing I don't have trouble getting started is my car and that's because it's a Honda. In fact it took me three tries to start this article and it's now Saturday afternoon.

Am I alone? I don't think so.

There's two parts to getting started, preparation and execution. Let's start with getting up in the morning. The best way to get up in the morning is to get a good night's sleep, and the best way to get a good night's sleep is to be prepared for one.

Getting To Sleep at Night

Relax.  The best thing you can do for yourself to prepare for a good sleep is to be relaxed. For me that means reading a good book, for you that could be a hot bath, or even a bowl of cereal with warm milk.

Set a regular bedtime. I know it sounds like something you tell your children, but the body is a creature of habit. Get your body accustomed to going to sleep at a particular time of the evening and it will become easier and easier to sleep at that time.

Don't wait until you're drowsing on the sofa. That drowsing is exactly what you want to drift you into a good night’s sleep. If you have to interrupt it by getting up off the sofa, getting undressed and getting into bed, you've already interrupted your sleep.

This sounds silly, but keep an orderly bed. Tangled sheets and blankets hang you up at night and make you toss and turn more than you normally would. Take just a moment before you go to sleep to straighten out your covers and make sure you're comfortable.

Use music or white noise. Many people have trouble turning off their brain when they lay on the pillow at night. Their thinking continues to run a mile a minute, or they listen to every sound they hear and project a potential disaster. Gentle music of any genre in the background, or even a white noise machine with the sound of the ocean or birds chirping quietly, can distract your mind and help you focus on the nothingness that will bring you sleep.

Get a good pillow. You'd be surprised how fast a pillow wears out and ceases to provide the proper support. If you’ve had your pillow more than three or four years, it's time to replace it. If it's one of those expensive down-filled pillows, consider taking it to a dry cleaner to have it cleaned and fluffed and possibly even refilled.

Remember that the pillow is more than just a block to lay your head on. It needs to provide the proper support for your head and neck so that you can breathe properly while you sleep, and minimize strain on the back and shoulder muscles.

Getting Up in the Morning

Now that we've mastered preparing and getting a good night of sleep, I thought about getting up in the morning. This is the real problem for me. When I was young, it was common for me to sleep through three alarm clocks and still be late for school. I know now it wasn't because I didn't hear the alarm clocks, it was because I wasn't ready to face the day. Sometimes the reason that you can't get up in the morning is because you don't want to, and sometimes the reason is because you didn't get enough sleep and you can't wake up. It's important to know which is which and which is happening to you.

Here’s what worked for me for both reasons.

Don't use the sleep button. Don't let your body think that each deadline gives you more time. Reconcile both your body and your mind to getting up without the extra 10 minutes or 15 minutes or 30 minutes that you steal with the sleep button. Think about it, if you can regularly give yourself an extra 15 or 30 minutes, then set your alarm appropriately and get up when it rings. Steve Pavlina suggests that you use a Pavlovian training method of repetition to a custom yourself to getting up upon hearing the alarm. However you get there, fight that hesitation to fall back into sleep.

Stretch. Before you even throw the covers back, stretch out take a deep breath open your eyes and look around your room. Give your body a chance to become accustomed to being awake.

Shower immediately. Don't slump around making your coffee, picking what you're going to wear for the day. Hit the shower right away. It's much harder to fall back asleep if you're showered and shaved.

Don't think about the day ahead of you. There's plenty of time for that. Give yourself at least an hour in the morning of not thinking about the day that's coming up. Instead, listen to the sounds of the morning or music, appreciate the weather, say hello to your fish. Anything but stressing yourself out by anticipating the events of the day.  Don’t listen to the news.  You can hear that on the way to work.  This time is for easing into the day.

These are my strategies for getting a good sleep and getting out of a good sleep the next day for a good start.

Having conquered that, I next set out to master the art of facing my desk in the morning. I'll write more about that in the near future.

Www.manifestationcoaching.com

Season of simplifying…

[see the original at www.ManifestationCoaching.com]


Spring is on the way, and that means it’s getting to be my least and most favorite time of the year.  I love Spring weather, especially here in Los Angeles.  Clear sunny blue skies with brisk cool breezes is my idea of heaven on earth.

The rebirth of beautiful weather is the basis of the tradition of Spring housecleaning, starting over with a clean slate so to speak.  While I love a clean house and orderly office, I detest what it takes to get one and keep it that way.  I suppose you could call me a supremely lazy neat freak.  So I look for easy ways to get or stay organized.


Here’s a few of my discoveries:


Go Paperless.  This is the 21st century; it’s time to give up on paper. 
Continuing to receive paper means you have tons of mail to deal with.  You bring in the mail when you get home from work.  It sits there until you open it.  Then you open it, read it, and it sits there until you either file it or shred it.  Then you put it into the file or shred pile, and it sits there some more.  Stop the madness!!
Going digital with your important records means they take up almost no space at all, so you can get rid of most of those ugly file cabinets.  You save time and money because there are no file folders to buy, and no labels to write.  Filing is a snap; simply name your files properly and the computer sorts them by any number of ways.


More importantly, it’s easy to duplicate digital records to safely store copies offsite in case of disaster.


Get e-bills.  Most utilities, credit card companies, and phone service providers all offer their bills in digital versions so that you can stop receiving paper bills.  Take them up on this offer.  When you receive your e-bill by email, simply save it to a folder on your computer named for the biller.  I have a master folder named File Docs, and I keep them all there.


Scan what you can.  What you can’t get as electronic documents, scan.  Scanners used to cost of lot of money, but now you can get them inexpensively incorporated into printers, or standalone.  What you choose will depend on your needs, preferences, and budget.



Get a photo-quality scanner so that you can preserve photos as well as documents.  If you have a lot of paper to scan, consider a scanner with a sheet feeder.  If you have a lot of photo negatives, there is equipment specially designed for that use.


Whatever you choose, you’ll find it makes a world of difference.  Go here for a selection of scanners to review.


Standardize.  Take a lesson from WWII tank warfare.  The Germans used a variety of designs of tanks.  The Russians relied on two basic designs.  German tanks were probably superior, but all the different designs meant tons of different spare parts to stock and keep track of when the tanks inevitably broke down.  The Russian tanks won.


Think about that the next time you’re frustrated because you can’t find the right size lid to that storage container for tonight’s leftovers.  You have a container for every use, in every size.  You’re totally prepared for anything.  But you can never find what you need when you need it.
Forget that. 


Use only two sizes of inexpensive clear food storage containers.  One container should snugly hold two servings.  The other should hold about twice that.  Make sure they both use the same size lid.  If you have less than one serving, combine it with something else or don’t bother saving it.  Most people don’t use the more expensive storage containers enough to justify the added expense.  Supplement with plastic sandwich bags that seal and that’s all the leftover storage most people need.


Exploit your crock pot.  Or, if you’re like me, find it first, then exploit it.  It’s probably buried behind the wok, the bread maker, the espresso machine, the roasting pan, and assorted sauce pans.  If you don’t have one, seriously consider purchasing one.  If money is constrained, a refurbished or used one works quite nicely. 


The wonderful thing about a crock pot is that it takes so little to accomplish so much.  Create entire meals from one pot, without standing over the stove all day.  Now experiencing a resurgence in popularity because people have discovered that you can do much more with a crock pot than simply simmer stew, a crock pot can be your friend too.  Simple recipes can make meal preparation satisfying and simplified.


House the Homeless.  Disorganization is a combination of things with no home, and things not in their home.  Don’t support homelessness.  Make sure everything you own has a home, a place to rest out of the way and preferably out of sight.


On your desk, use storage containers and organizers to make sure that everything can be put away.  Then, develop the habit of putting things back in their home when you are finished.  You probably remember hearing the admonishment to put your toys away?  Well, some things never change!





“Getting organized” has such an intimidating sound to it that many people are defeated even before they start.  Instead of deciding to get everything organized, consider starting to use these three simple strategies – not all at once, but gradually,  the way real behavioral change is created. 


Good luck!


[see the original at www.ManifestationCoaching.com]

Web site update …

I spent this morning working on my web site, doing some minor content revision and design refinements.  I hope the slightly modified structure will be easier to navigate and make more sense to the first time visitor.

Your comments are always appreciated.

www.ManifestationCoaching.com

How to write a cover letter …

I decided this year, with the encouragement of a colleague, to pursue teaching in a formal academic environment.  In short, I’m going to be a college professor – part-time, but real classes and students in a real college.  I’ve done a lot of training in corporate and business environments, both with individuals and groups.  I’ve developed and taught both short- and long-term programs.  But I’ve never taught a class that led to a formal college degree.

Now that I’ve accumulated so much education and experience, it’s time to share it.  So I’m going to teach part-time in addition to my labor relations duties.

I’m sitting here working on a cover letter for my teaching applications.  I decided to share some of the resources I found as I brushed up my skills.

Here’s a simple template for a cover letter for a job application and resume.  How to write a cover letter.

Some experts question the need for a cover letter at all, but I think you should almost always include a cover letter when sending a job application or resume.  The resume and application are a pretty bare bones presentation of you.  The letter is one unstructured opportunity to focus attention on your strong points and let a little of your winning personality through.

Since I’ve been in human resources for many years, I’ve seen a lot of cover letters.  If I had to limit my advice about cover letters to one things it would be this:  eliminate spelling and grammatical errors.  No matter how earnest and sincere you sound, poor grammar or spelling will undermine you every time.  They say you are sloppy and don’t care about details.

Think about what the reader wants to see – a couple of quick phrases that powerfully sum up what you have to offer and why you should be selected, all contained in one page.  Throw in a request for an interview and you’ve got the winning letter.

www.ManifestationCoaching.com

Making Change …

One of the biggest challenges my clients seem to face when they talk about building their life is actually getting something to begin to happen. Getting out of the starting block for many of my clients seems to be the biggest challenge that they will face in their journey toward change.

"I know what I want to do," said Ben. "I've thought about it a lot. I just can't seem to get moving." Ben was a client who actually came to me with a pretty well thought out idea of where he wanted his life to go. But somehow, he just couldn't get it to go there.

For Ben, the barrier was time- and structure-related. He knew what he wanted, he knew what he needed to do, but he couldn't anchor it in his daily practicing reality.  Ben needed to learn how to take his ideas and turn them into action. Deadlines and the calendar became Ben's best friends as he overcame his inertia.

But each person has his or her own  initial hurdle to overcome, and for each person there's a different strategy for breaking the logjam.

Here's a few ideas to think about. See if one of them doesn't speak to you as a way to break that logjam of action that you've been experiencing.

Write it down. You've heard it said a million times and even so it's still true today that "talk is cheap." By that I mean talk is just that, talk. Don't get me wrong. I'm a talker from way back. I see nothing wrong with talking. It can help you clarify what you have in mind, make your goals more specific and specific goals are easier to accomplish.

But at some point the talk has to stop and action must begin. For many people, the first action that can set them on their road is to physically manifest what they've been talking about. And the easiest and simplest way to do that is write it down.

Some clients are most comfortable creating to-do lists.  For others, its more important to first write about their hopes and dreams, and then build task lists.  But either way, the very act of writing gives your thoughts physical presence – the first step towards full manifestation.

Before you dismiss this suggestion lightly, consider the significance that our US Constitution carries – because it's in writing. There is power in writing, and if you write down your vision for yourself, and what your goals are to get there, you've actually taken the first step of manifesting.

Exercise. Okay, I admit people who know me will laugh that I propose this suggestion. But to me exercise is a very broadly defined word.

Maybe you want to fill that extra 45-minutes that you normally spend sitting in bumper to bumper traffic commuting home from work with a quick workout at the gym near your office. Don't get scared. By "workout" I mean almost anything besides chatting with the desk clerk. Twenty minutes on the stationary bicycle would be a great start. But don't do it with your music earphones on. Don't hide from your thoughts.

Okay, so maybe you're not going to join a gym. Then take a walk. And don't say you don't have time. Park your car farther away from the office. Walk to the post office instead of driving. And again, don't do it to music.

You may ask me what I have against music and I have to say nothing. I listen to it all the time. The purpose of these exercises is not to listen to music but instead to listen to that voice inside you that will guide you to the next step you've been searching for.

If you find yourself longing for something to listen to or something to watch while you're walking or riding your bicycle or anything else, perhaps that's a sign that you're uncomfortable being alone with your thoughts. Maybe you need to take some time to get to know yourself a little better.

Volunteer. Sometimes the easiest way to figure out yourself is to stop thinking about yourself and try thinking about others for a change. Volunteering for any kind of activity can take you outside your preoccupation with the challenges that you face on a daily basis and show you other people's challenges. In the process, I guarantee you'll learn more about yourself.

Whether it's for your child's PTA or at the homeless mission soup kitchen, doing good for others always enlarges our view of life and of ourselves. You may be surprised at the skills and talents that you evidence, or the things that you enjoy during your volunteer activities. And these may give you valuable clues to what the next step on your journey should be.

Use deadlines. We all like to talk about the proverbial "someday."  But we also know that "someday" rarely comes.

For some people deadlines are not problem. They seem to have a natural sense of the flow of time and what they need to be doing when. I remember when I used to watch my Italian grandmother cook, she never used a recipe. She never used a timer. She rarely used measuring spoons or measuring cups. But darn it if she didn’t make the best food I remember ever eating.

But I believe those are truly exceptional people. For the rest of us, a recipe is a necessity. And so are deadlines. Time passes rapidly when you have something to do. You always will have less time than you think. The only way for most of us to keep time from slipping away and taking with it our opportunities is to tack your goals and desires to a spot on the calendar. In other words -- a deadline.

Always remember though, that deadlines are not sacrosanct, they can and sometimes must be changed. But never abandoned.  Deadlines can provide the valuable forward momentum that you need to keep on track and on time.

Get out of town. Well maybe not literally, but if you can actually leave town, that would be even better. Lots of folks enjoy a change of scenery and a change of scenery can make a change in you. Perhaps it's as little as driving to the other side of town spending some time over there; walking the neighborhood, perhaps stop and have a espresso at a small neighborhood coffeehouse.

Or maybe you want to get a little bit more ambitious and take a weekend out of town. Drive up the coast. Drive to the lake. Drive to the desert. (By now I'd guess that you see that I love driving.)

Meditate in the desert for a week, observing life all around you.  Or go fishing!  My point here is that you want to change your surroundings from what you're familiar with for more than just a minute or two.

Let go of perfect. Let's get one thing clear right up front: you're not perfect. Good for you; me neither. Too many people hold back for fear that their effort will not be perfect. And the result is that their effort is nonexistent instead.

Look at Microsoft. No matter how much research and money and publicity goes into marketing Windows, every new release is rapidly followed up with updates and security patches. Why? I mean, isn't Windows perfect when it's released???

Okay I know you understand how ridiculous that question is if you're a Windows user. But you see my point. Today's successes did not get there by waiting until what they had to offer was perfect.

Let's take a more recent example, but still in technology. Google. Nothing Google releases is ever out of beta. Despite garnering some criticism for the practice, Google benefits by eliminating a perception that the product is never completely developed. This gives them the freedom to experiment without risking severe or significant customer disappointment.

So feel free to think of yourself as permanently in beta and forget about being perfect. 

Get fit. There, I said it! But let's not panic. I'm not talking about ending up looking like Schwarzenegger. There's lots of kinds of fit, and if you're heading for a major life change you're going to need most of them.

Here's a quick list of 15 ways to get fit in preparation to change your life. They're all very simple and none of them involve going to the gym. But you'd be surprised at what small things can make a difference.

Remember that change is stressful, and stress takes a physical toll on you. Being in good shape physically and mentally guarantees you the better shot at achieving your heart’s desire through change.

Get organized. Whether by physical means or digital, successful people are organized. They keep calendars. These days there's no excuse for not having an appointment calendar and a listing of your important contacts and phone numbers with you at all times.

I'm old enough to remember when carrying a calendar meant adding 20 pounds. And my paper contact listing was hopelessly out of date because it was so annoyingly difficult to keep current. In the end it simply became the anchor point for millions and millions of post-its.

Now I carry everything in my cell phone. It's my brain. You don't need to go that far. My point is that it's important enough to be organized that there is little excuse not to be.

Use a coach. Every successful athlete works with someone more experienced than them to help them train to be their very best. We're familiar with an athletic coach, but sometimes it's hard to transfer that idea to one's own life.

And if you've done a lot of Internet research about life coaches, you may have noticed a distinctly "spiritual" aspect to many of them. For many people that spiritual aspect of coaching is an important element, but many more are using a coach, not to assist with their spiritual development, but to make real concrete changes in their lives. And to make those changes in ways that maintain their own personal and spiritual integrity.

As a coach I don't impose my any spiritual beliefs on my clients. Nor do my clients come to me for spiritual guidance. Instead we focus on the client, the client's life, and the client’s desires.  I have no secrets to give because there are no secrets.

I have experience, study, and talent. So do you. We put them together to help you create the dream life you've always wanted. Think of the coach who follows Michael Phelps along the swimming lane timing him, observing his form, making notes about what to talk about when the lap is done.

Now you be Michael Phelps, and I'll hold the stopwatch.

http://www.manifestationcoaching.com/