Just recently I recorded a 3-Part Series on Decision Making Mastery on my LIFE MASTERCLASS Podcast series, which I figured would be of value and benefit for you. I also thought if you got something out of these presentations, you might then do yourself a favour and grab a copy of my book too. 😉
The 3-Part Series includes the following three presentations, which you can watch on YouTube (the links below will take you to the YouTube presentations):
I am never too proud (or self inflated in my smartness) to take the good advice offered to me by those around me. In this case it is the wise examples of our pooch – Apple – who is currently 13-years old (or 91 in ‘dog years’).
I often tell my coaching clients to look into nature for the answers to some (and sometimes all) of the challenges they might be facing. I ask them, what can you learn from observing mother nature? How does she deal with a similar situation?
This time I decided to pay attention to what my pooch is showing me is the way to live a joyful, fulfilling and carefree life.
Our dog obviously behaved herself in a former life and therefore came into the world into a caring and loving family, so she got off to a good start.
ESSENTIAL WAY 1: Sorry in advance, but this might be uncomfortable
That title sounds like a line a doctor might use when you are in a compromising position on an examination table and they are adjusting the rubber glove on their right hand…
One of the things I have witnessed, doing this coaching and therapy thing for the last 13 years, is people’s avoidance for wading through crap. No surprises there.
The crap I am referring to in this case is the collection of stuff in our past that is stored in the quagmire pit of things that were not fun, comfortable, or pleasurable (and usually from our past).
Here is what I have also learned (and I am sure you have too).
If you have read my work before you might well have read my definition of what leadership is all about. It goes something like this: ‘A leader creates the environment that is conducive to the success of the team.‘
This applies to whether we are being a leader of ourselves or of others. And for the purposes of this conversation I am most interested in personal leadership. Leadership of self, and as it relates to the path to self-actualization, which according to maslow’s model is at the top if the pyramid.
My personal experience, observation and hypothesis is the singular hardest step to take on the self-actualization path, or what I also call the personal development or personal growth path, is…
Acceptance of personal responsibility.
When I was in my 20’s I used to believe I was ‘unlucky’ and that is why bad things happened to me. I used to think it was because of bad bosses, that I didn’t have a higher level of professional success. I used to blame my girlfriends personality on the relationships not working. I blamed people’s lack of attention to my needs for me having a skiing accident that required a knee reconstruction. Blame. Blame. Blame.
Who loves cleaning?
I imagine there are some of you out there joyfully waving your arms around in the air, and others of you who are thinking what a stupid question to ask. “Of course I don’t like cleaning!”
Me personally? I LOVE a good session of cleaning.
The joy of seeing something transformed from messy to organized, or from dirty to clean. It is a rather satisfying sensation if I do say so myself.
Do you know who else loves cleanliness and orderliness and simplicity?
Your BRAIN.
Especially when the external environment (outside your house) is a bit of a train wreck.
I am writing this newsletter (and blog post) on 19 March 2020.Therefore in this article I thought I would just share some of my thoughts and suggestions around how we can best navigate our way through this experience and beyond.
I am actually finding it a little hard to write now, without coming across as an insensitive so-and-so. You see, I know I am going to die at some point. And I am actually ok with that. I also acknowledge we will all die at some time, and I am at peace with the thought of that as well. So with that inevitability, I am more interested in how I am living now, and how am I contributing to the well-being of the other people on this planet, plus how am I contributing to the planet and all its inhabitants as well.
So I am for LIFE and that is what I will be writing about today. How to experience more life in these times of uncertainty.
This article follows on somewhat from my last post where I talked about increasing productivity, creativity and effectiveness, but it is inspired by a book I recently finished reading called Essentialism by Greg McKeown.
If I was to choose to describe the way that I primarily live, my guiding philosophy, I would call myself a bit of a Stoic, and having read this book, I would say I am also a bit of an essentialist. There is actually a lot of overlap between stoicism and essentialism.
The motto of an essentialist philosophy is: LESS BUT BETTER
I am not sure about you, but I am liking the sound of that!
Who would like less commitments, responsibilities, projects or tasks on their plate?
I sure as hell have my hand up for that.
Let me explain a little bit more about what essentialism is, and then share some specific strategies.
Caring.But is that really useful? Does being a really great carer lead to peace, joy, fulfillment, and a meaningful life experience?
Caring, like a lot of things, is great when it is done for the right situations, to the right amount, at the right time.
It has been my experience coaching 100’s of people over the last 12 years that people are a little bit crap at establishing when are the right times to care A LOT and when are the right times to give less of a damn.
So the lesson for today is about re-calibrating your caring muscles to bring you more ease, joy, and success.
Are you ready?
I recently had the joy of turning 50. For those of you that have not yet made it, you might find something of value in my musings and for those that have already stepped beyond their 50th birthday, maybe you will find something to reflect on here – or have the chance the relive that magical moment.
Now enough of me asking and answering my silly questions, let’s get on with the 5 lessons that might actually be useful for YOU. Here goes!!
Since the Coaching Team is off to Singapore this month to see Tony Robbins – a leading success & performance coach from the USA – I thought it would be interesting to share one of his basic teachings on what it takes to change our emotional state (in the short term). This is a strategy to change your current emotional state, and what he calls his Triad.
He suggests that there are 3 things that we can address to change our emotional state: