Tapping into Stress & Turning it into a Gift

We are half way through February and the first quarter of 2017! A little scary when you think about it. How are you doing? Really, how are you doing? Right back into the thick of things? Do you remember that break you had in December? You did have a break in December, right? Too many questions, yet, if you are like many people, you are back in the blur of life again. While that is amazing for some of you, for others it feels like you have been picked up like a house in a tornado in Kansas but without the knowledge of having the red shoes.

Stress is a part of our everyday lives. That's a fact and we need some stress in our lives. It's when we're on overload and can't seem to function that we could use a hand. The key is finding the level of stress that works for you, not against you.

The interesting thing is, if you take some time to investigate, you may find that rather than trying to "deal" with the stress you can actually tap in to and utilize it as a strength..no kidding. Kind of like having your own pair of red shoes. Intriguing isn't it!

Sound like something you can use? I am running a two hour workshop on Saturday February 25th, 2017 at 1pm in Mississauga. A couple of spots are left and since its Valentine's Day I am offering it for $50 (regular price $75) if you contact me by noon February 15th,

Why thinking is useful!

When was the last time you were stimulated enough by something to actually want to sit down and consciously take some time to think about it? 

I am guessing that you are not alone if you cannot remember when the last time you did this was. Thinking time is underrated and under utilized and unfortunately, we often go through our days in auto pilot doing what we do and ultimately, getting what we get.

Why do I mention this or even think it is worth writing about?

I create and deliver unique workshops and the primary outcome of success for the participant is - are they walking away thinking?  This is my measure of success - getting participants to have a new way to look at something, whether it is a personal thing or a work thing doesn't really matter. There is no line in our brain between these things.  We are people first.

What does this matter?  Well, after 20 plus years in the corporate world, I cannot begin to tell you how many different team building events, motivational speakers, experts in whatever the flavour of the month/quarter/year. the company was subscribing to, that I  the pleasure of being exposed to. I do not say that with sarcasm.  I am the exception that loved hearing new ideas, learning new concepts from:  what my "colour" told me and my colleagues about how I thought: why laughter was important: how to set goals etc. etc.  The one that probably had the biggest impact on me was working with my strengths...that was a pivotal  moment for me and literally shifted my career and life.  It was one of those things that actually made me think - differently.

While most of my colleagues grumbled about the time these things took away from their day or how it didn't apply to them, I was walking away, always, with at least one nugget to put in my tool kit. However, I was the exception. I don't blame my colleagues for the reaction they had.  After years and years they had noticed a pattern - flavour of the month/quarter/year - insert speaker/training/workshop etc. - walk away and ZERO follow up to embed the training etc.  What a shame, what a lost opportunity.  Colleagues, rightfully, became jaded. They were investing their time in their development that ultimately would be a distant memory in a month or so.  They were not stimulated to think.

This is where my workshops are different!  I run a series of three workshops (check our my website for more details www.steppingstonecoaching.ca) that provide a way to get people to think differently about how they approach things - whether at work or in life.  I offer them with enough space in between for thought and close enough for participants to keep the interest and momentum.

In addition, I can customize a workshop to what you are looking for in your organization.

Here's what I can pretty much guarantee:  you have never experienced anything like this, you will walk away with at least one different perspective on how to approach a previous situation and you will be thinking.  And...your employees will be left curious and wanting more. Period.

Want different? Do different!

Simple way to exit 2016 and enter 2017 with intention.

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end". Semisonic

I love quoting this line from a song from my past. Sometimes in order to move on , we must leave something behind.

As this is the last day of 2016 I thought I would share an exercise on setting intentions that I did this morning. Simple yet thought provoking and insightful. Feel free to grab a piece of paper and something to write with if you wish.

The key here is to NOT think too much - the first thing that pops into your mind is there for a reason. Get curious about it and don't judge it or try to make sense of it. Just notice it.

First - think of something you would like to leave behind from 2016 - it could be a relationship, a habit, a feeling etc.

Then, think of something you would like to keep from this past year -again could be a feeling, relationship, perhaps a new and useful habit.

Finally, think of something you would like to add or have more of in 2017.

I am intrigued by what came up for me and still mulling it over. That is the point - to get you thinking.

I wish you a Happy New Year and Happy New Beginnings!

Is it time for a change?

It's December already and the year is wrapping up - no pun intended for those of you who enjoy the Christmas Season!  When you look back on the year are you happy with how it turned out?  Did you meet those goals that you set?  Do you even remember those goals you set!?

Change is a funny thing and change is exactly what you are looking for when you are setting a goal.  You want something different, whether it is to start something new, stop something old or to tweak something, goals are all about change.  Usually that "something" is some sort of behaviour or habit that gets in our way of achieving our ultimate goal.

Funny thing is, if you are not crystal clear on what you want, you will not meet your goal.  Let me repeat that.  Unless you are crystal clear on what you want, you will not meet your goal. Sounds harsh and it is true.  

There are a few things I have noticed about people who are able to make and sustain a change and they are:  

• They are very clear on what they want and it is very specific - it is so specific that they are able to visualize it.
• They don't go after every single thing in their life at once.  
• They have an awareness and willingness to make the change.
• They have a positive mindset and a belief in themselves that what they want is possible.
• The intention for the change is a positive one versus one motivated by pain.
• They take the time to check in with themselves to see where they're at on a regular basis and they ask themselves "how am I doing?" and "what's different now?".
• They are grateful for progress and patient and flexible - they don't let one little set back discourage them.
• They are patient and compassionate with themselves and the change they are looking for.
• They get support for the change - for example, they work with a coach; friend or some other sort of accountability partner or community.
• They know that small consistent changes lead to big results.
• They go back to the visualization of their goal whenever they need to and that provides motivation and reminds them of their intention.

If change is on your plan for 2017 I would love to have a conversation with you - 15 minutes with absolutely no obligation Contact me.  Just a chat about why working with me will provide you with a really good chance of meeting your goals for 2017. 

Wanna play in a sandbox?

Think about it. When was the last time you played in a sandbox? Picture it now, running your hands through the sand, feeling the warmth of the sun on your shoulders. Creating a castle with pails full of sand, digging with your shovel or using a little rake. The beauty was you could try something and then try something else. If you didn't like how it turned out, no one came by and criticized what you made, you just started over again. Maybe used some of the skills you tried in the first place and then refined them a bit or added new ones to them. No matter what you were doing, you were having fun and most likely hanging out with some friends.

So what am I trying to point to now?

In order to get results, sometimes we have to try the same thing numerous times or sometimes it may be a good idea just to change things up. And then maybe, we just have to start over again. Regardless, if you're feeling stuck, any movement forward or maybe sideways, is better than no movement at all.

I am a firm believer in trying different things out, I love playing with ideas and concepts to see what sticks and I love helping my clients to see the fun side of things.

In that spirit, in addition to one on one coaching, I am adding small group workshops as an offering for people who are interested in approaching goals and change differently. A "sandbox" of sorts to come and play in.

So what can you expect?

In addition to being a certified coach I am also an NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming - a complicated name for a natural process) Master Practitioner. I blend these skills with my life and corporate experience to put together opportunities for people to come and "play" with a different way of getting what they want.

We will work in an intimate group of 6-10 participants maximum so that you can get some change happening.

We work content free - what does this mean and what is the benefit of this? The minute we open our mouths we filter what we are saying. By working content free, people are able to work through the exercises with complete freedom to work on whatever is most meaningful to them without worry of judgement. 

What's the vision I have for participants?

I want participants to take the typical "New Year's" resolution and turn it on its ear. Yes! I am talking about New Year's already.  What if your "New Year's resolution or goal" was treated more like a business plan...bear with me here. You wouldn't run a very successful business if you set your plan for the year on December 31st after a few glasses of champagne! It would probably take you until the end of the first quarter to get clear on what it was you really wanted and by then, you will have missed the first quarter of the year and already be behind target.

When I was in corporate, we had our goals for the next year set by the end of November. Maybe they would require some tweaking as the next year unfolded however, the beauty of working this way was you hit the ground running in January, knowing where you were heading. 

So how will this work?

Workshop #1 -November 26, 2016 (2:00  3:30) set the foundation to hit the ground running on January 1st (if you can wait that long to start!) by running a "Changing Habits" workshop. 

Workshop #2 - January 14, 2017 - "Keeping Focused & Relaxed"-  while everyone else is trying to figure out what they're doing, you'll be coming to a workshop to keep the momentum you started going. Note: Workshop is already 50% sold out!  

Workshop #3 - February 18, 2017 - "Keeping your Grit" - when life kicks in, and things get challenging, we'll look at turning stress into a gift.

Are you curious? Feel free to message me for a ZERO obligation chat. 

ZERO power point and lots of interaction - guaranteed!

Sign Up Now

Just When Did You Stop Having a Choice?

Nothing gets my heart rate up more than hearing someone say that they can’t change something.  It is the way it is and  …here’s the line “I have no choice”. The one thing I firmly believe is that we are making choices all day, every day, whether we see it or not.  Sometimes the choice may simply be what attitude we are going to choose about a situation.  That is a choice.

As a certified coach and NLP Master Practitioner and a former people leader in a large corporation, I have had lots of exposure to working with clients, team members and sometimes family and friends, around just this topic – choices. I get it, sometimes you can get so stuck somewhere, backed into a corner and feel like there is no choice.  This is where having an outside person aka coach, to help you get clear may come in handy.  The reason I suggest an “outside” person vs. a spouse, sister, brother, best friend, father, mother etc. is that a coach has no emotional attachment to what you are trying to change or choose.  They are there to be an unbiased partner.

In the next couple of paragraphs I will walk you through some suggestions for opening options when you feel like you are stuck and have no choice in a situation.

First of all, get clear on what “it” is – the choice that you think you don’t have or the topic/problem/situation you are stuck in.  Whatever “it” is, the formula for moving onward seems like this to me:

• get really super clear on what the “problem” or “topic” is – dwelling here is not productive however, knowing what you believe to be true about something is good to be clear on
• once the problem or topic has been clarified, physically get away from it, no joke, get out of your chair and walk around; sit somewhere else or better yet change your entire posture and go for a short walk -you really cannot solve a problem from within a problem, it is not the right head-space to be in
• start to brainstorm options for the problem – this includes having fun and being creative. including doing the exact opposite of what you think you should do; get creative here, if you have a pet, ask yourself what your pet would do – sounds silly however I encourage you to try this.
• Ask yourself – if failure wasn’t an option what would I do?
• Chances are that you have had a problem before and were able to solve it. What resources did you use? By “resources” I mean, was there a person you admired that you emulated? A behaviour you chose? An inner strength you called upon? Sometimes remembering that you have been able to solve a problem in the past helps to give you the confidence to know that you can do it again.  Try and remember a specific time you solved that problem – who were you then, what were you doing – connect with that resourceful version of you!
• Run through several options for the problem using fun, creativity and previous experience – I recommend getting 4-5 options including the current way you view the situation.
• Once you have done this – again, walk away from the situation – literally!
• When you come back – review the 4-5 options you have come up with and select one that resonates for you – it could be the original option you saw. The point of the exercise is to recognize that there are always choices – even if you choose to go back to your original thinking!  At least you have opened the door to other options.

Remember that not making a choice is making a choice!

The Puzzling thing about Puzzles

I was recently in a workshop where puzzle building was a part of it.  The interesting thing about this exercise was that we were not allowed to speak to each other while putting the puzzle together, yet we had to have agreement regarding who did what.  We had to complete our puzzle before we could help any other group in the room.

My group had the picture up and started diligently working on the puzzle.  Interestingly, people took on roles without anything being said, one team member started with the frame, one started with the “guts” of the puzzle and I stood back and observed.  Some of the puzzle pieces looked weird to me.  Sure enough, they were not a part of our puzzle.  I motioned to my group non-verbally and got their okay to collect them.  Then I went to the other groups around us and started offering the pieces I thought they could use, all the while seeking their consent to give the pieces to them and likewise, take the pieces on the table that they had that looked like they belonged to our puzzle.

Soon everyone was following suit and getting their puzzles done.  It was so interesting to read the body language of everyone in the room.  Some teams welcomed your help others clearly indicated that you were not welcome to assist them.  Eventually we all got our puzzles done, all in somewhat different ways yet, we were all eventually successful.

So who cares, right?  What does building a puzzle have to do with anything?

When you set out to put a puzzle together, what is the first thing you do?  Do you open the box and dump all the pieces out and then sort them according to “edges” vs. the “guts” of the puzzle?  What part of the puzzle do you put together first- do you put the outside together first or do you start to build the picture inside?  And probably, most interestingly – do you or don’t you refer to the picture on the puzzle box before you get started?

What if you look at the puzzle as a metaphor for your life? What?!  Yep, look at how you approach solving a puzzle and parallel that with how you are living your life.   Are you creating boundaries for yourself by putting the edges on first or are you playfully putting together the images within the puzzle to see what transforms?

Do you refer to the box top for direction or do you let a little bit of fate help determine the outcome of the puzzle?

•  Life does not always come with the picture on the box.  Although we have a “plan” in place, sometimes we are shown the wrong picture for our own puzzle.  We can spend years trying to put a puzzle together that just doesn’t belong to us.
• We need others to complete our puzzle because sometimes, we just don’t have all of the puzzle pieces we need to complete the puzzle.  While doing things on our own is fine, we all need assistance sometimes and getting someone else’s puzzle pieces is sometimes necessary.  Likewise, sharing some of our puzzle pieces is sometimes the right thing to do.
• Sometimes leaving a space in the “edges” of our puzzle gives us room to expand and sometimes we don’t need to know every detail within the puzzle to carry on just fine.
• Someone or something will constantly be taking puzzle pieces away from you and likewise, handing you the ones you need when the time is right.

Puzzles are meant to be taken apart and rebuilt.  Sometimes we can go years before we dust off the puzzle box and make another attempt at it.  Is it time to take your puzzle out of the box and see where the pieces are today?  What will be different this time?

Want different? Do different!! Kicking the habit(s) that get in our way.

Know that if you do as you always have, you will get what you have always had.  There is nothing wrong with this, unless you think there is.

What do you want?

How many times do we express frustration in our lives about “something” (you fill in the blank here) that will not change?  It could be something physical that we are not satisfied with, a relationship that is not working, a job we hate, a child who will not listen, not being able to save for that vacation etc. etc.  We complain up and down to anyone who will listen and continue to get more and more frustrated. Doesn’t sound like fun to me.  Nor does it sound productive.  When you truly want to have different, guess what?  You are going to have to “do” different.  This is work, which is why most of us would rather complain then get our butts in gear and do something about it.

Want to play a little here?  How about you look at this as an opportunity to get curious?  What habit(s) do you have that are getting in the way of changing what you have, to what you want?  Keep in mind that not all habits are necessarily “bad” and even if they are deemed “bad” – think smoking, there is still something you are getting out of it – think deep breathing.

Habits, by nature, seem to lock us into a behaviour.  It is so much easier to keep doing what our brain has “programmed” then to try and shift it.  Our brains think in patterns based on previous experience:  “if A happens then I do B” – when something similar happens, our brain looks for something similar in our past and attaches a pattern that has worked before to it.  In other words, our brain can be a little lazy or you could say, it likes to be efficient, why exert extra energy when something has worked in the past?  Habits tend to get results without getting the brain involved.

Here’s a little exercise to get those juices flowing and to maybe replace a habit that is getting in your way with one that may serve you better.

Grab two pieces of paper or a recipe card, whatever, something you can write on.

In the center of the first piece of paper, in block letters, write down one habit that you would like to change.

• Proceed to write as many words that describe the good you get from that habit – yep – you’re getting something out of it. For example – let’s say your habit is “procrastination” (okay, truthfully, it’s my habit!)– What might you be getting out of it?  When I did this exercise here’s some of what I came up with: procrastination provided me with a “time out”; it helped to prevent me from rushing into things; sometimes, if I procrastinated long enough, someone else would do what I was avoiding!

Put the piece of paper aside and take out your new, clean piece of paper.

In the center of this piece of paper, in block letters, write down what you would like to replace this habit with. Yes, instead of focusing on what you are giving up, focus on something else you want instead.

• Now write down this new habit or behaviour and all that it can offer you. To continue with my own personal exercise, I wrote down “focus”.  Here are some of the words that came to mind for me: purpose, results, success, direction.  How cool is this?

The exercise does not end there.  Once you have identified what you want instead, think about – what do I need to do to make this stick?  Who do I know that already exhibits this behaviour or habit that I can emulate? Where can I find support for this change – could be a coach, a friend, some sort of accountability partner.  How can I be patient and compassionate with myself and the change as I move through it?  Know that you may take a couple steps back every now and then.  Awareness and willingness to see the good in what the change is may help to keep you focused on the end result you are looking for.

What’s my point?

• Habits are powerful. Identifying what’s getting in your way is a start; replacing it with something else instead may be useful for refocusing your brain.
• Nothing is going to change unless you change something.
• A partner to support you through the change can be the difference between successfully changing and reverting back to old habits.

So – want different?

Watch your Language!

I remember being a kid and probably being a little sassy from time to time, yes, I know, for those of you who know me, so hard to believe!   What I remember most about this was being told to “watch my language” or more precisely, in the words of my Dad “mind your P’s and Q’s”.  I still laugh when I think of that.  What does that even mean?  I’m guessing that I was crossing some sort of line between what was acceptable to say vs. what was not.

So what does this have to do with you and why am I even bothering to tell you?

Language and the words we choose is fascinating to me.  As I focus more and more of my coaching on change and working with mindset, I can’t help noticing myself eavesdropping on conversations and what words people use when they describe a situation, person or perhaps themselves.

Take the work environment for instance. You may hear someone describe working with another team or individual as a “real battle”.  What could be different if you substituted “real battle” with “real adventure”?  The first thing that jumps to mind is it becomes more playful, still a challenge perhaps but more of a “we’re in it together” feeling than a confrontational feel.  Funny how changing just one word can completely shift what meaning we put on a difficult situation.What about when you are describing an acquaintance, friend or relative in your life where you are having a difficult time connecting with them.  Notice how you describe that person to others.  Do you use words like “she’s so difficult” or “he is stubborn” – what does that do for you?  I’m guessing that it doesn’t foster warm and fuzzy feelings for that person.  What shift could you make in your language to shift the way you think about someone.  What if instead of being “difficult” she was actually strong in her convictions or instead of him being “stubborn” he was passionate about his point of view?

Probably most interesting to me and what I work on with clients is the language they use when it comes to themselves.  What is your self-talk like?  Is it kind and compassionate or are you always putting yourself down?  When we start to pay attention to how we talk about ourselves to others and maybe more importantly, how we talk to ourselves in our heads it is so powerful.  Changing negative self-talk is a big first step to moving ahead to a more positive outlook.  Easier said than done you may think and I won’t argue there, however, I would definitely say that, with practice you can change your negative self-talk to positive.  How?  Step one is to simply notice. Yep, just notice what you are thinking in your head or how you describe yourself to others.  You may not notice until a day after you have thought or said something.  That’s okay.  When you first start consciously noticing you may not recognize things in the moment.  However, gradually you will find over time that the noticing gets to be in the moment and that’s when a shift can occur.

This also applies to how you describe your acquaintance, friend, relative, co-worker or team.  When you are in the moment, you now have a choice as to the language you are going to use to describe them or yourself.

Here’s my challenge for you.  Pick one situation from the examples I provided where you would like to change the relationship for the better.  Really pay attention to what words you are using to describe the person, team or yourself. Notice. Then start thinking of how you would like to feel about the person, team or yourself and start replacing the current word you use to describe them or yourself with a different, more positive word.  See if that changes anything for you…

Could you be more curious?

I was minding my own business just grocery shopping the other day when I ran into someone I worked with in my last corporate job and hadn’t seen for close to a year.  They asked me if I was on vacation and I told them that I pretty much do what I want to do.  Then they asked “are you retired” – ouch!  I said “No, I started my own business”.  You would think, or maybe it’s just me, but I thought they would say “Really! What are you up too?”  Nope, finished some small talk and walked away.

Rounded the corner with my shopping cart and ran into them again and I thought, okay, okay, now they are going to ask.  Nope.  I asked about where they went on their vacation, how work was, more small talk and we went our own ways again.  Boggling my mind now!

Now, I thought, I need to get curious!

When it comes to other human beings, I have always been curious. Always wanting to go to a deeper level and understand them better.  In my corporate life I know for a fact that my curiosity about others was an innate behaviour I had that I attribute to a lot of my success as a people leader and colleague.  I loved building relationships beyond the project or task at hand.  Taking the extra step to be curious about someone and learn something important to them created something magical, beyond the walls of the office.

In my training as a coach, I learned that my innate “skill” of curiosity was a requirement in order to serve my client. The ability to be curious about who or whatever was in front of me allowed my client to get curious about themselves or a particular situation

So why the word “curious”?  Why not “nosey”? Curiosity is playful.  A kitten is curious, a young child is curious.  We don’t very often associate curiosity with an adult.  This is where the power lies.  When you allow yourself to be curious about something, all of a sudden judgement goes out the window.  This opens up so many possibilities for the client.  In the corporate setting using “I’m curious here…” is not going to put someone on the defense, in fact, it can be disarming.

So back to my grocery store story.  I starting wondering, why don’t people get curious?  The first thing that jumped to mind was maybe they just don’t care, ok, fair enough.  Maybe they’re too self-absorbed, ok, want to talk more about themselves, we all know people like that!  Or maybe they’re just too busy.  Something that when asked, everyone apparently is.

So who cares anyway?

What are you missing out on by not being curious?  Believe it or not, a lot.  Your next relationship, a hot tip about a good restaurant or maybe even your next job!  By simply asking questions you can open up the opportunity to gain so much.

Curiosity is also a great way to build a connection with someone else, which is one of our fundamental human needs.

Curiosity can also do some prevention work.  It can prevent us from making assumptions about others and you know what assumptions can do!  At its most basic level, curiosity simply shows interest in another human being.  Let’s them feel noticed.

So next time you run into someone you haven’t seen in a while, what if you actually got curious about what they’re up to?  You may be surprised what this opens up for you!