Music Moves Me

Balance is important to me.  Sometimes I like silence.   I especially love silence when I am out walking - I don't like listening to music while I am outdoors in Nature - I just love the silence and the Space.  And I love when I can enjoy silence at home, silence in the car - just time to have Space.   I am so fortunate that this year I have been able to enjoy more Space in my life.

And at other times I love listening to Music.  I love Music.  I love when I am cooking and I remember to put on one of my favourite CDs and I dance and sing around the kitchen.  Or it is after dinner and I put on a song and My Man and I dance around the loungeroom.  And I love when I dance around with my three beautiful Nieces, we hold hands and spin around - it is a joyful time.  I recently found hundreds of CDs in my garage and I have been meaning to gather some of my favourite CDs and bring them into our home to enjoy.

When I am driving to work I also love listening to songs that make me feel Inspired - I love when Music Moves Me.  I love when a great song comes on the radio or on one of my CDs and I turn up the volume and feel Energised.

Two of my favourite songs that I listen to when I am driving to meet with my Coaching Clients are by Shannon Noll - 'Lift' and 'Shine'. 

I love 'Lift' - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gUWbPzDGuo

The words of this piece of Music Moves Me:
- "I know you're hurting"
- "Seems like forever
That you've been falling"
- "Your life is calling, yeah"
- "This was never meant to be the end
Close the book and start again"
- "Cos I know how hard it can get"
- "I know you're stronger"
- "You've got to lift yourself up above all
the hurt - Don't give in"


I also love the song 'Shine' - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_9id4I0pCw

I love the song since my Business is called 'SHINE Coaching' and I love the words and passion of this song - I definitely feel Excited and Inspired. 

I love these words:
- "Today's the day you hold the world with your song
Go now, go now, go now, help escalate
Angels come down, help with this parade
To hear your voice ring out
Come on and shout it
Let your song be heard

- "This is the time
This is the day that we've been waiting for
All the world will stop to watch you shine
This is the time
This is the day that we've been waiting for
All the world believes that you will shine"

These songs help me feel positive and uplifted.  Music definitely has the power to make me feel wonderful.  And yet today when I was looking on 'youtube' I came across a short clip with Music and images that touched me with a deep sadness.  This song and clip is definitely not uplifting - instead it makes you very much stop and just sit with hard realities  

- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvgXelgVqBE&feature=related

I love to be positive and uplifted and yet this clip is also a reminder of the tragedy and pain in the world that affects individuals, families, communities, countries.  And as I sit and watch the images I almost watch in disbelief and the world stops around me, as I sit with the horror and tragedy of the world events.  I am humbled and I feel compassion and empathy for my fellow brothers and sisters.  

Watching this clip reminds me that there are so many things that we cannot control - and yet we can choose to love others and Spread The Yellow - offering Connection and Acknowledgement - sitting and sharing Sacred Space with another in good times and in times of pain.  We can choose to offer a smile, a kind word, a hug.  We can see the light in another and help them see the light in themselves and the light in their world.

And we can hold the Paradox - Gratitude for the Joy and Light in our own lives and also holding the realities of darkness and sadness.  And I definitely feel Inspired after watching this clip to be active, to help others and work in Community, to Make A Difference, and to take a Stand for human rights and what is right.

I am so Grateful for the Light in my life.  I would like to share one last clip (not to take away  from, or forget, the sadness of the previous clip).  This is a great song that I heard the other day.  My Man and I are  currently planning our wedding - and I am feeling Excited.  We are planning to have this as our wedding song - it is fun and I love the words "you take me the way I am"

- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBKAPazypwc&feature=related

This clip and the words make us laugh  and we are blessed to have found True Love with each other.  In True Love we can share the happiness and the sadness, the joy and the pain - we can embrace life together.

Living Your Dreams

I love books.  I love reading.  I have been reading self-development and spiritual books since I was 21.  I remember I had just finished my degree, I had a great job in the city and I had just broken up from my boyfriend of 4 years.  I had spent 3 years reading text books, read a novel over the Christmas holidays and then I discovered a love of reading these life changing books.  This is where my boyfriend and I were different, he did not share my passion for personal development.

Of course, I wish I had have put everything I learnt into action - as I have stumbled and made many mistakes.  I often laugh that I did a course on decision making and yet over the last 20 years, I  have made (what seems) many bad decisions - and yet this has been my life journey.  And it is my life journey that gives me such deep empathy and compassion for my Clients. 

It is my commitment to lifelong learning and also my life journey that serves me now as I am stepping out in the world as a Life Coach.  I love reading books that will continually enrich my knowledge and it is my commitment to apply what I am learning to my own life and also help me in serving my Clients.

Among the books that I am currently reading (and loving), is 'Living Your Dreams' by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen - a brilliant book!  I love the Inscription on the first page of the book - “We dedicate this book to everyone who has had the courage and commitment to pursue their most heartfelt dreams with passion and perseverance.  By your example you have shown the rest of us that whatever you desire, believe in, and pursue with love, joy and determination is possible to achieve.”

I was given this book to my friend in November 2003 - inside the books is a message from my friend "Dear Kath, Go For It!"  This was given to me when I was leaving a Marketing Job – deciding I wanted to move out of the corporate world and move away from working on products to working with people.  This was 7 years ago - the magic number 7.

I just love the beginning of the book - it talks about "How To Live Your Dream" and gives 10 Steps - many of which are explored in the Coaching Process:
- Step 1. Decide What You Want - "You must first decide WHAT you want, before your brain can figure out HOW to get it."  I really love "The Genie in the Lamp" where you can imagine that a Genie appears before you and grants you three wishes in all of the key areas of your life.

- Step 2. Believe in Yourself: Use Positive Self-Talk - "Eliminate any negative and limiting belief, learn to control your self-talk, and maintain a constant state of positive expectations."  This is a big area in Coaching, helping Clients let go of their inner critic and help Clients embrace new and positive beliefs and attitudes.

- Step 3. Build on Your Core Genius - I LOVE THIS PART, I love these words - "Everyone is born with a unique set of talents and abilities - what we refer to as your areas of brilliance or your core genius." - I really love working with people in finding their life purpose and to express their unique gifts in the world.

- Step 4. Build an Awesome Dream Team Alliance - "A Dream Team Alliance is two or more individuals who voluntarily come together to creatively put their energy behind a definite purpose." - I definitely believe in the power of the Dream Teams and I will be offering Group Coaching opportunities next year.  Now that I am newly engaged I am also Excited to create a Dream Team with My Man, especially now as we are planning our wedding and our life together

- Step 5. Visualise and Affirm Your Desired Outcomes - I love what is written in the book about Visualisation - "Visualisation activates your creative subconscious, which will start generating creative ideas to help you achieve your goal; Visualisation programs your brain to more readily perceive and recognise the resources you will need to achieve your Dreams; Visualisation activates the Law Of Attraction, thereby drawing into your life the people, resources and circumstances you will need to achieve your Goals; Visualisation builds your internal motivation to take the necessary actions needed to accomplish your Dreams."  I am really Excited that I will be running Vision Board Workshops from January 2011 which are designed to help Clients create a Visual representation of their Dreams.

- Step 6. Act to Create It - This part of the book reinforces the importance of taking ACTION - "We recommend making the commitment to do something every day in at least three different areas of your life that moves you in the direction of your Dreams."  I also like the part that states "One of the secrets of success is to start acting like a success before you are one.  Act as if."

- Step 7. Respond to Feedback - I like the reference to Thomas Edison "reported to have tried more than two thousand different experiments that failed before he finally got the light bulb to work" - "If you can adopt that attitude, then you can be free to take an action, notice what result you get, and then adjust your next actions based on the feedback you get."  The book encourages readers to - Ask others for feedback, ask yourself for feedback, ask your higher self, your inner wisdom for guidance and feedback.  One of my favourite parts of Coaching is helping Clients access and trust their own answers and insights.

- Step 8. Never Give Up: The Power of Determination - "After taking ACTION, the most important quality you will need to develop in order to live your Dreams is persistence.  You must be persistent in your disciplines and habits; perseverant in the face of adversity, hardship and challenge; and determined to achieve your dreams no matter what."  Working with a Coach can offer you support during these challenging times, helping you overcome any obstacles and staying true to yourself and your Dreams.

- Step 9.  Celebrate Your Victories and Give Thanks -  I really love working with Clients to acknowledge and celebrate their Wins.  I also love that the book talks about having an "Attitude of Gratitude" and rewarding our inner child (yes, I must book a massage this week - planning an hour and a half luxury massage in my last week of College to reward myself).

- Step 10. Give Something Back - "The best way to ensure an ongoing flow of abundance into your life is to share with others the wealth you receive."  I also believe in helping others who are less fortunate than ourselves.  I am passionate about helping children and communities living in poverty, with $5 from every Coaching Session donated to Plan Australia http://www.plan.org.au/

I love quotes - here is a great quote from 'Living Your Dreams' -
"Take the first step in faith.
You don't have to see the whole staircase.
Just take the first step."
Martin Luther King Jr.

Celebrating Uniqueness

One of my favourite parts of being a Coach is recognising and Celebrating Uniqueness - hearing what makes my Clients Excited and helping them express their Unique Gifts in the world.

It has been wonderful at College the last few weeks - although we have all been studying the same Course, we all have a sense of our own Unique Purpose - how exciting to hear what Excites and Inspires different people.  How wonderful to see people in touch with what makes them SHINE, and so Excited to share their Gifts.  I loved last week hearing about my friend Christie who is so passionate about nutrition and so talented in her raw food creations - she is truly amazing!! And another woman from College is so passionate about Wellness and helping people in the area of Health.

And as I watch 'X-Factor' tonight, it is clear that Altiyan Childs is definitely expressing his Uniqueness - he started his first band when he was 12 and is currently a forklift driver and had almost given up his dream of becoming a musician.  He has a Gift.

We all have a Gift.

However, from the time we start school we are taught to fit in, wearing our uniforms, learning the rules, learning all of the subjects that will make us "successful".  Through school and inparticular through our teenage years, we try to be like everyone else - to "fit in".  We feel the pressure of friends, parents, society.  And in doing so this can often be the undoing of our self-esteem and confidence as we move away from being true to ourselves.
  

Then we have to make a decision what to do after school, or find ourselves in a job that does not make us happy, or find ourselves redundant or returning to the workforce and trying to work out what to do.  Not to mention experiencing financial pressures and sometimes making Choices, that we feel we have to make, to pay the bills or "pull the sled" for the family.

And there is the stress of working out what to do and how to make this possible.  This is where a Life Coach can help in Celebrating Uniqueness and putting your Dreams into Action.

My belief is that we are all here for a reason, that we have a Life Purpose, a Calling.  I love the part in 'Wishcraft' Barbara Sher - Imagine that Your Gifted Child Within You was...
- Treated as though You had a unique kind of genius that was loved and respected...
- Told that You could do and be anything you wanted...
- Told that You would be loved and admired no matter what it was...
- Given real help and encouragement in finding out what You wanted to do and how to do it...
- Encouraged to explore all Your own talents and interests, even if they changed from day to day...
- Allowed to complain when the going got rough, and given sympathy instead of being told to quit...
- Surrounded by Winners who were pleased when You won.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE DOING NOW?
WHAT WOULD YOU ALREADY HAVE DONE?
WHAT KIND OF PERSON WOULD YOU BE?

As a Life Coach I love Celebrating Uniqueness, Celebrating a Client's Greatness.  Some of the areas and questions include:

- Who Are You? 

- Highlights from the Past - asking such questions as "Recall times when you have so absorbed in what you were doing that you hardly noticed the time.  What were you doing?'

- Highlighting Your Passions - "What makes your heart sing?', What do you enjoy doing when you're not working? - Also - What exciting topic (s) would keep you talking late into the night?"

- Changing the World - "If you could share one bit of wisdom with the whole world, what would it be?", "Imagine yourself at the end of your life looking back - is there a dream in you of serving or helping others or making a positive difference in a certain area?"

Some of my favourite questions are:

- "If you were financially independent and money was not a factor, what kind of work would you do?"

- "If you could wave a magic wand and know you could not fail, what would you do?"

Coaching can offer you a chance to find a Career that has Heart and Meaning for you with the opportunity to look at your Special Qualities, your Talents, your Passions.  Coaching also offers you the opportunity to take steps to express your Purpose.

If you would like to wake up feeling Excited that you are living your life on Purpose, please call Kath, SHINE Coaching 0416 285 687.

You may be a school leaver, trying to work out what to do next... or you may have been recently made redundant or a Mum returning to the workforce... or perhaps you are unhappy in your job and finding it hard to be motivated day in and day out.

THINK BIG!!!  LOVE YOUR LIFE!!!  EXPRESS THE TRUE YOU IN THE WORLD!!!

* And I would like to dedicate this to my friend Julie who has ALWAYS been an Inspiration to me and is living her Life Purpose, stepping into a new Career that she loves - Congratulations Juls x

Celebration

I love to be in Celebration mode - taking time to acknowledge the Wins of my day and show Gratitude in my life.  As the weekend nears to an end I would like to take the time to be in Celebration.

I am Excited that I have finally had my Garage Sale.  I am in Celebration that I was able to bring in my Organiser Archetype and make this happen. 

I am in Celebration for all of the people that visited my Garage Sale and bought my once loved treasure.  I am in Celebration for my Mum and Dad who helped me for days and joined in the day.

I am in Celebration of My Man for cooking lunch for us on Saturday and for always supporting me.

I am also in Celebration that My Man's Mum arrived safely from her 4 week holiday and was Excited and Energised about her holiday.

I am in Celebration to spend time with my Brother and my Nieces Ashley and Olivia - it was such a wonderful surprise when they came to visit the Garage Sale on Saturday afternoon.  And then we were able to go to Cronulla to enjoy ice cream.  I just love holding their hands and hearing their stories and receiving their hugs.  They are such a Gift in my life.

I am in Celebration that I have Choices where I can choose to Spread The Yellow, even in the small ways, such as when My Man and I have a disagreement, I can reach out to hold his hand.

I am especially in Celebration and Appreciation for my Coaching Clients.  It is such an Honour to share their Journey.  I am also very Grateful that I received two wonderful testimonials to include in an upcoming Editorial and in creating my Website.  I am VERY Thankful.

- "Life Coaching has enabled me to get my wonderful life 'back on track'. Having an unbiased sounding board, as well as a skilled, enthusiastic and inspiring Coach has enabled me to create big changes in every area of my life. Thanks Kath."  Julie, Cronulla. 
- "Kath's Coaching has helped me change my life around for the better. She has guided me in many aspects of my life from getting organised with a new baby to strategies to help me lose weight.  Kath has shown me how to find the abilities and tools within me to follow my dreams." Bronwyn, Caringbah.

I felt so happy when I read these words from my Clients.  I am definitely in Celebration that I am a Life Coach.

I am committed to enjoying a daily ritual of being in Celebration and showing Gratitude and Appreciation for the Gifts in my life.  This is my way to Love each day, Love Self, Love Life, Love All.

And I also Love being in Celebration with my Clients, Celebrating their Uniqueness and Greatness and Celebrating all of their Wins.

My Decluttering Begins

My Decluttering Begins...

Yesterday I heard such wonderful wisdom to help me with my Decluttering - when looking at an item, ask "Is this who I was... or is this who I am becoming?"  Wow... what a difference this can make!

Originally I thought it was about keeping what I love - and yet this can also include holding on to stuff that was once important to me.  Now I can focus on who I want to be and what is important to me.

It is all about Energy - what is taking away my Energy and what is fuelling my Energy.

I start with my bookshelves.  My Belief was that I couldn't let go of any more books, that I  had already cleared my books about 6 months ago.  And yet for 30 minutes this morning I looked at my books with a new lense "Is this who I was... or is this who I am becoming?"  When in doubt, I held each book and felt into my body - is this giving me positive energy or is it taking away my energy - this was helpful when looking at books that may have been associated with past relationships - and I did realise how easily a simple book can be an Energy Leak - clouded with a sad or painful memory or uncertainty, wasting my thoughts and mental energy.

Another indicator for me was when thinking about the topic of the book, tuning into whether I felt very Excited about the topic or book and if there was any chance I would want to read it in the future - if unsure I made the brave decision of letting it go - I want items that definitely do not clutter my space and drain my energy.  I can rest assured in knowing that I could easily Google information on a topic and also Trust that in the future I will be attracted to new books that are of interest at that time.  For now I can let go of such books as 'Natural Beauty', on natural skincare products - given that this has sat on my bookshelf for years and I have never once mixed up a recipe of cucumber and yoghurt - this is definitely taking up space.  My 'Galloway's Book On Running' was hard to pull off the shelf, given how much I love running, and yet I don't really need this book - one day when I get back to running, it will be for the pure joy of running - and so I add this to my pile of books.

ACHIEVEMENT: 47 books cleared from my bookshelves - 33 to sell at my Garage Sale and then the remainder to go to a second hand Bookstore - 3 to give to a friend + 11 to give to my Brother and Parents.

Yahoo... My Decluttering Begins... I feel happy with my Achievement...

I feel the motivation to continue.  I approach the Study and my cupboard with caution.  I set myself 1.5 hours to see what I can achieve in this time.  I feel very determined to clear clutter and clear some Energy Leaks.  I am ruthless with my bags - I have 2 containers filled with an assortment of bags - from evening bags, handbags, backpacks, overnight bags.  There are some bags that I like, and yet I do not LOVE them, they are not who I am becoming - time to let go of them.  And then there is an overnight bag that is practical and 'should' be kept - and yet this is a bag that has an energy of an ex-husband - and the bag itself does not inspire me to want to go on holidays - I decide to add it to the pile of items for next week's garage sale.  And then I add a few pieces of accessories like beads and a broach that I like and yet have not worn for years, not even sure if I ever wore them.

I have so much paperwork - this is a challenging area - so much paperwork, bills, study material, brochures.  I manage to clear some clutter in this area - enough to make me feel that I have made some progress.

I feel Inspired to keep clearing clutter - tomorrow the sorting of the garage begins - thankfully I have some helpers.  I am Excited by the prospect of having less "stuff" and MORE SPACE.  With MORE SPACE comes the opportunity for Spirit to rise with an Invitation for more to come that nourishes me in my highest good.

I Google Decluttering and find some other great tips that will help me with this Project:
- Stop bringing in new stuff (that does not Inspire or Support me in who I am becoming...) - even flyers, brochures, newspapers that add to the clutter
- Before buying something, think, does this have heart and meaning for me and is it something I need right now
- Remember everything doesn't have to be done at once - divide the overall picture into little tasks - a small task can be easily tackled and successful completely, and Celebrate each step - I also like Declutter for 15 minutes/ day (this seems very achievable and not overwhelming)
- As a Coach, I also have a Vision of this clutter-free home, easy to clean, a lot of Space - a place for everything and everything in its place
- I like the tip of when sorting through things and trying to decide whether to keep an item or not, ask yourself if you would buy it if you didn't already have it.

My Destroyer Archetype, the energy within me that is focused to clear what is no longer serving me, has been very active today.  I love this Part of me and I am definitely keen for this Part to be very active again tomorrow.

"To change skins, evolve into new cycles, I feel one has to learn to discard. If one changes internally, one should not continue to live with the same objects. They reflect one's mind and the psyche of yesterday. I throw away what has no dynamic, living use." Anais Nin

Gifts Of Today

Today I enjoyed a nice sleep until 7.15am - it was not a sleep in, yet what was different about this morning was that somehow I forgot to set my alarm, and so it was nice to just naturally wake up, without the buzzing of my alarm.  Yes I am definitely adding this to my Gifts Of Today List - my Gratitude List.

I love to get outside in the morning and I was Grateful that there was still time to take a 30 minute walk.

I am Grateful that I didn't get caught up in my mind, overthinking - instead I felt very Present - and in such a brief period of time I was able to enjoy such Beauty - more points to add to the Gifts Of Today List.

When I arrived at Gunnamatta Bay it was such a treat to see the baby Pelicans - I love seeing baby Birds.   I love  Birds.  I also enjoyed seeing the Galahs - everyone knows I love Yellow - and yet there is something special about the pink and grey colour of Galahs.  As I was enjoying the Beauty of the Birds, down came the rain - it was not heavy - just a light drizzle and I felt happy being out in the rain - feeling very alive.  I loved seeing a new red rosebud, waiting to bloom - and loved seeing the richness of red in the bottlebrush and a rosella happily sitting on a branch.  And I just love the smell of Jasmine at this time of year. 

And then today when I was walking in my breaks at work I just loved feeling the warmth of the sun.

I definitely feel myself in my Nature Child Archetype - feeling free and in love with Nature.  I would love to just sit and watch and Connect with Nature all day - even the Beauty of the snail caught my attention this morning.

These are the Gifts Of Today - Gifts that are free.  These are the Gifts that bring me Joy, as I take a brief moment to savour the Beauty of Nature.  I often reflect that it would be great to have my camera handy to capture these moments - and I do love taking photos - and yet I often find that this can distract me from being totally Present in the Now.  

I have been reading about 'Positive Psychology' http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/docs/PositivePsychology.pdf - I am very interested in this area.  It "seeks to understand positive emotions such as Joy, Optimism and Contentment".  I love that "Positive Psychology is interested in the conditions that allow individuals, groups and organisations to flourish."  In reading about 'Practical strategies to increase your level of happiness' I read about "Savouring: Savouring is the awareness of pleasure and of giving deliberate conscious attention to the experience of pleasure".  This morning I was definitely in practice of Absorption which is defined as "Allow yourself to become totally immersed and try not to think, just sense."  I also enjoy taking a mental photograph of these moments.

And now tonight rather than putting on the tv - I enjoy listening to Pink and I light all my beautiful candles and I love making a pumpkin and asparagus risotto and it is nice to just sit down and enjoy time with My Man and then we have a dance  As I enjoy these moments they flood the experience of my day with Joy and Positive energy (rather than an alternative choice of just acting as if today was just another day at work).

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

I am very Grateful - Thank You God for your Blessings and Miracles.

Believe In Yourself

I just love this Verse - Believe In Yourself -

Dream Freely
Envision Excellence
Cherish Your Creations
Exude Enthusiasm
Be Inspired
Inspire Others
Take Pride In You
Recognise Inner Beauty
Draw On Inner Strength
Look Inside Your Soul
Create Peace
Seek Truth
Spread Joy
Embark On Adventure
Launch New Ideas
Think Big
Invoke Positives
Live Fully
Reach Out
Aim High
Find Happiness
Expect The Best
Be The Best

Wow - imagine if this Verse was taught in pre-school, posted up on every mirror, every office desk, every ad break on tv.  Imagine if we all lived our life in this way.

  

I read each line slowly, savouring each line, allowing the words to resonate within me.

In being a Coach, my favourite part of what I do, is helping people Believe in Self, and Believe that they can Create a wonderful Life that they Love.  I was so happy when my Client told me the other day that she feels "amazing" - it is such an Honour and so Rewarding to share my Clients' Journeys.   

I am very Grateful that I am a Coach and I am also very Grateful that I am Creating a Life that I Love.  

Here are some of my favourite photos of what brings me happiness - time with my loved ones - My Man and my Family. 

And I am Grateful that I do Believe in My Self and I am Excited to be Embracing the Now and Believing in the Future.