Who Said Changing Was Hard?

August 13, 2012 By

Truthfully, it doesn’t have to be hard.  Change can mean many things – alter, modify, transform, adjust, or amend.  Not such scary words right?  Yet why does the possibility of change scare so many people?  I’m finding that my clients are not afraid of change, but they are afraid of the possibility to change.  Ah, so it’s really resistance!  It’s the thinking that precedes the actual change that freaks them out and often leads to applying the brakes on their lives with such force that they leave skid marks as they come to a screeching halt in their progress.

Granted some changes that happen to us are extremely unexpected.  Some changes we expect yet when they happen we often find ourselves shocked.  Some changes we even set out to create for ourselves.  In all cases it really is about how we deal with the change(s) that occur or that we create.

Let’s talk about the ones we want to create for ourselves.  Often times what makes change hard is that resistance piece.  Yes, even if we really want to change, we are resistant to it.  Why?  Well, there are many reasons but one very big and important one is that as humans we very much like to have things stay the same because we feel safe, we feel comfortable and we know and like that.  It is the unknown that makes us think twice (or more) about making that change we said we wanted to create.

Recently a client kept telling me she really wanted to change her eating habits.  We created strategies and action steps for her and she’d do great for about a week or so.  Then she’d email me saying she “fell off the wagon and began eating poorly again, like I always do.”   I asked her two questions:  “How important is it to you to change your eating habits and why is it important?”  Her answers ended up being the key as to why she kept “falling off the wagon”.  Once she knew her answers, she was able to let go of the resistance and begin to get a solid grip on her wagon and not fall off.

If you find that you want to create lasting change but just haven’t gotten there yet, ask yourself those same questions.  After you have your answers, follow my suggestions below to move forward once you know why you feel resistance:

  1. Ask yourself “What can I do differently right now?”
  2. Create a plan of action – list several first steps you can easily take.
  3. Write down your action steps and put end dates on them to keep you moving forward.
  4. Trust yourself that you know exactly what to do.

Change really isn’t so hard.  I know, I’ve been there personally as well as helped others move through change so that they reach their goals.  If you find that you are just not there yet, my 30 Days to Success Program is a great starting point.  Email or call me to get started!

As always, I love to hear from you – what is one big take away and what one small step will you take on your road to change?  I can’t wait to hear what you have to say below!

Filed Under: Personal Development Tagged With: , , ,

What Are You Seeing?

July 23, 2012 By

Every night my husband uses this one baking dish – and every night I wash it.  We share the kitchen duties: he cooks, I do the dishes and we are both happy.  It’s ideal.  Well, it was until recently.  The thing getting under my skin was this one baking dish.  See, we don’t have a dishwasher – GASP, I KNOW!  I do the dishes by hand – GASP again!  And this one baking dish kept showing up and it began to irritate me.  Oftentimes it had to soak and it ended up being in the sink the next day because I would forget that it was there and I’d have to start my day by washing it.  Silly, right?

I needed to shift my perspective because this thing was really aggravating me!  I decided to look at this differently to see how it could serve me.  I began to think how this dish makes me happy.  My husband uses it to make us really delicious and nutritious meals.  Those are wonderful meals that we share together.  I came to recognize how the dish is a good thing and that my irritation to it was not.  My lesson here is about making a shift in thought from something that is annoying, irritating, aggravating or even a pain in the butt to something that is joyful, happy, supporting or even fun!

It happens.  You get annoyed, irritated, aggravated and even PO’d at something in your life.  It’s normal yet it doesn’t feel good.  I find that many of my clients are frustrated that they feel this way and look at it as a bad thing.   I tell them it doesn’t have to be!  It can be used as a tool to turn things around and feel more of what they want: joy, happiness and peace.

Are you intrigued?  I hope so.  See, once you see that you can change your perspective to work for you, it’s amazing what will appear in your life.  Let’s take exercise for an example.  You hate it, it’s grueling, it’s horrible, and it’s annoying.  Yet, I choose to exercise because it helps my body become and stay strong.  It helps me look and feel great.  It helps reduce my stress levels and makes me a happier, healthier person.   So, let’s turn it around.  By changing how you perceive exercise, you shift how you feel about it and can make it work for you! If you looked at exercise as something that fuels, supports and shows love to yourself, how would it make you feel?  You’d love your reflection (wink)!

Your turn, what turn-around would you like to experience?

Maybe it is a turn-around about how you view a certain task.  One of my clients is amazing at executing things; she is a ‘task-master’.  Yet she gets frustrated because she finds she is leaving things until the last moment.  This doesn’t exactly support her way of being – which is to be peaceful!  With my help, she decided to re-think how she went about planning, scheduling and executing her tasks.  And viola, she went from struggling to completion in no time!

Here are a few easy ways (you know I’m all about the ease) to transform how you think so that you may change how you feel about something that you are struggling with:

  • Start by determining what it is you really want to feel.
  • Ask yourself, “How will looking at this differently, and in a supporting way, help me accomplish what I want to accomplish?”
  • Make it fun!  Come up with a strategy that works for your personality and work style.
  • Celebrate your success!

So then, where can you make the shift that lets you feel more joy, happiness and peace?  I can’t wait to hear what you have to say below!

© Copyright 2012 Kim Ravida Coaching. All rights reserved. Feel free to use the material from the article in whole or in part, just makes sure you include this complete acknowledgement including the live website link and let me know where the material will appear: “Kim Ravida, owner and founder of Kim Ravida Coaching, is a Certified Professional Coach and a personal and professional motivation mentor. In essence, she motivates people to stop beating themselves up and helps them get off their butts so that they maximize their time and energy to quickly get what they want in their lives… and love their reflection! Kim produces a weekly ezine where she shares insights, inspirations, tips and ideas for setting and reaching personal and professional goals. To get more information or sign up, please go to www.kimravida.com.” 

Filed Under: Self Worth Tagged With: , , , , ,

You Thought It Was Just You!

July 9, 2012 By

Today I was talking with a client and she said something that was music to my ears.  I love it so much when clients finally have their “ah-ha!” moments! What she said to me was that because she made the decision to take care of herself, she was seeing all kinds of changes that were both positive and exciting!

Specifically, she said she had more energy, she felt better, she had more self esteem, and she had more patience for her work and tolerance of her customers — they didn’t annoy her as much (which is a good thing!).  She said she was ‘more laid back’, her kids were proud of her, they were all having more fun and doing more family things together like cooking and eating healthier dinners and they were even helping her clean up afterward.  They all wanted to spend more time together because they were all enjoying each other’s company.

(Did you happen to notice the underlying theme of “more” being better?)

This woman has six — yes, I said six — children: five boys and one girl.  She works full time, too, but she is at the gym every single day working out and seeing her efforts pay off.  She regularly asks me “Kim, how am I doing?” because she wants to improve every time she comes in.  I call this commitment!  And it isn’t just a commitment to herself, it is also to the life of her kids, family and all aspects of her life.

When we make a decision to put ourselves first and begin taking care of ourselves, all kinds of great things happen.  This lady started out only wanting to get her shape back – you can understand that, right?  Six kids!  And what she has found — and is still finding — is that there is WAY more to this ‘getting healthy, getting fit’ thing.  Yes, it is about having a fabulous figure that you love and feel good in, but it is also about self esteem, confidence, happiness, joy, and anticipation of what is to come into your life.

Where in your life have you not made a commitment? Something that you have been wanting to do, but just… eh, not gotten there yet?  Where are you ‘settling’?  Even though you know if you finally made the commitment to yourself that not only will your life be better but that of those around you will be better, too – heck, not just better but amazing!

When I teach my in-person group exercise muscle conditioning classes, I am famous for saying “Ok, today’s challenge is …” and then I give the participants the option to ‘take it or not’.  Would you like to guess how many opt not to take it?  If you said “no one”, you are correct!  Everyone has the opportunity to always rise to the occasion and some even go higher.  I tell them to remember that the challenge is all theirs and they can make it what they want, but that this is where they will begin to grow and stretch and get closer to their personal goals.  With my private coaching clients, I offer them similar challenges and no one ever says no – although it is an option.  They know that if they are open to it, they will see great growth, success and happiness.

My challenge to you is to pick one area in your life that you have been mulling about changing, shifting, or looking at differently and take one small inspired action step toward reaching it.  Maybe it is a health and fitness goal, a fun and enjoyment goal, a family goal, a personal goal, a financial goal – whatever it is the challenge is to pick, act and smile!  You too will be on your way to growth, success and happiness!

I’d love to hear your thoughts, insights and revelations – please comment below!

© Copyright 2012 Kim Ravida Coaching. All rights reserved. Feel free to use the material from the article in whole or in part, just makes sure you include this complete acknowledgement including the live website link and let me know where the material will appear: “Kim Ravida, owner and founder of Kim Ravida Coaching, is a Certified Professional Coach and a personal and professional motivation mentor. In essence, she motivates people to stop beating themselves up and helps them get off their butts so that they maximize their time and energy to quickly get what they want in their lives… and love their reflection! Kim produces a weekly ezine where she shares insights, inspirations, tips and ideas for setting and reaching personal and professional goals. To get more information or sign up, please go to www.kimravida.com.”

Filed Under: Self Worth, Wellness Tagged With: , , ,

Are You Taking Care Of You?

June 25, 2012 By

It’s kind of a buzz word — more of a buzz phrase — that we hear here, there, and everywhere!  But what does ‘taking care of yourself’ mean to you?  Are you thinking “I have no idea”?  Then you are not alone.  Let me help you because it took me a long time (and I mean a long time) to get it.  Here it is, the secret meaning behind that phrase – it means whatever you want it to mean.  Tah-Dah!

For example, I love to go for a manicure, yet I never seem to make myself an appointment.  There are various reasons; I don’t have the time, I don’t want to spend the money, I can’t find the number, etc.  Then one day I realized I was heading down a slippery slope because everything seemed so hard, my mind was racing, I wasn’t eating properly, nor was I exercising for myself.  It suddenly became clear to me that I was NOT taking care of myself.  So, I made a conscious effort to eat healthier, exercise more for myself, get enough rest and I made that appointment for a manicure.  Then some really cool things happened.  I relaxed, my mind stopped racing and I enjoyed myself.  Everything that I had going on around me didn’t feel so overwhelming or stressful or out of control anymore!

It was then I realized what taking care of myself meant.  It is all about what I enjoy and what brings me happiness — and no matter what it is, I have a right to it.  High on my list of what is important to me is my health and wellness; health in the physical sense and wellness in the overall sense.  Taking care of my mind, body, and spirit is truly what keeps everything in my life running smoothly – from running my business and helping out my family, to fun and recreation.

Where in your life are you NOT taking care of yourself?  I encourage you to take a moment right now to think about all the things you like to do but always put off for later when you think you’ll have time.  What brings you happiness, joy and good feelings?  What relaxes you or energizes you?

Here are a few of my favorite wellness tips:

  • Spend five minutes just breathing – sit quietly and focus on your breath as you breathe in and out.
  • Spend as little as 10 minutes doing some light stretching – yoga poses.
  • Take a brisk walk outdoors (with or without kids/pets).
  • Get out a novel and enjoy reading for pleasure – for five minutes or 30 minutes.
  • Schedule a facial, manicure, pedicure or massage.
  • Be present where you are and with whom (even if it is just yourself).
  • Play with your kids or your pets.

Don’t slide down the slippery slope of letting yourself go and wondering “When on earth did I start to look and feel old, tired and worn out?”  Instead, take the time to make a list of at least five things that you will do to help you begin (or continue) taking care of yourself over the next week.  Now schedule them, do them and — most importantly — enjoy them!  They’re good for you!

Please share with me below your tips and the things that you do to take care of yourself.  I can tell you, not only will you inspire me, but you will inspire all the fabulous men and ladies who are part of my world!

 

© Copyright 2012 Kim Ravida Coaching. All rights reserved. Feel free to use the material from the article in whole or in part, just makes sure you include this complete acknowledgement including the live website link and let me know where the material will appear: “Kim Ravida, owner and founder of Kim Ravida Coaching, is a Certified Professional Coach and a personal and professional motivation mentor. In essence, she motivates people to stop beating themselves up and helps them get off their butts so that they maximize their time and energy to quickly get what they want in their lives… and love their reflection! Kim produces a weekly ezine where she shares insights, inspirations, tips and ideas for setting and reaching personal and professional goals. To get more information or sign up, please go to www.kimravida.com.” 

Filed Under: Personal Development, Wellness Tagged With: , , , , ,

Are You Being Present? The Gift That Keeps On Giving

June 11, 2012 By

I do everything fast!  I talk fast, I walk fast, I eat fast, and I move fast.  I get a lot done, yet I also create a lot that needs to be re-done because I’m moving at the speed of light.  I make mistakes and messes and sometimes forget important things.

I thought I was on a call about a week ago only to learn afterwards that I wasn’t – now how did that happen?   I was so busy, moving fast and getting other things done that I didn’t even know I wasn’t present for it.   Ah! There it is – that word, present!  What does it mean?  Present:  ‘there, here, in attendance’ and the antonym is absent!  And guess what my moving at the speed of light did – it really made me absent from what I was doing.

Being present for yourself and others in the world is a gift – a gift of you!  So for the month of June, I have (much to the pleasure of those around me) made a conscious choice to be in the present when I am in the present.  This means listening to whoever is talking (no multitasking or thinking about a response or worse, what I need to do next), being mindful with the tasks that I am involved in (no watching the clock or wishing time away) and taking a few moments to breathe, relax and be aware of my surroundings.

I’ve been working at this for a couple of weeks and let me tell you – I see a whole new world!  Am I still getting things done, you bet!  And believe it or not — now, hold on to your hat – I’m getting more things done.  It seems when you take your time and are present in what you are doing, you don’t make a) mistakes and b) messes!  This is a whole new thing for me and it is fabulous.  The three values that are highest on my list right now are freedom, peace of mind and happiness.  This ‘being present’ is bringing me more freedom, peace of mind and way more happiness!

Not only that, but I’ve had some amazing conversations with my family, friends, clients and prospective clients just because I’ve slowed down to listen and be present with them.  I no longer feel anxiety throughout my body and my muscles are no longer tight and cramping.  I have more energy because I am breathing deeper and focusing on how I am feeling internally.  I can easily stop the madness even before it starts; which before was an amazing feat and now is becoming second nature.

With each article I write, I like to pose questions for you to begin taking small steps to change your life as well.  Remember, I am a DOer – I’ll do or have done whatever I ask you to do, too.  And I like to share what I’ve done to inspire and show you that I’ve gotten such great benefits and results, and so can you!

So question time:  Where in your life are you moving faster than fast, where you know if you slow down things will be fabulous?  How would your day look if you didn’t run on full throttle all the time?  How would it look if you took your foot off the gas completely? Where can you be more present for yourself, for others and for the world?

When I teach my group exercise classes, I sequence the workout so that my clients are in the present moment focusing on the movements and the muscles they are working.  Many remark at the end of the class “Wow, that went by so fast, I didn’t even realize that we were just about finished.”  That’s because they were present.  They were in a zone.  There really is – as I am finding out, and as you will too – no better place to be!

Please share your thoughts, insights and revelations below!

 

© Copyright 2012 Kim Ravida Coaching. All rights reserved. Feel free to use the material from the article in whole or in part, just makes sure you include this complete acknowledgement including the live website link and let me know where the material will appear: “Kim Ravida, owner and founder of Kim Ravida Coaching, is a Certified Professional Coach and a personal and professional motivation mentor. In essence, she motivates people to stop beating themselves up and helps them get off their butts so that they maximize their time and energy to quickly get what they want in their lives… and love their reflection! Kim produces a weekly ezine where she shares insights, inspirations, tips and ideas for setting and reaching personal and professional goals. To get more information or sign up, please go to www.kimravida.com.” 

Filed Under: Personal Development Tagged With: , , , ,

Are You Leading Or Following?

May 21, 2012 By

I want you to know that minding my own business jump-started my business.  Are you wondering “Hmmm, what does she mean?”  Well, I shall share (you knew I would).  I used to live my life being afraid of what ‘other people’ would say to me and about me – so, when making decisions about my life (my business) I always made choices based on pleasing everyone around me.  I was following those I lovingly call ‘other people’.  And as you probably figured out, I was very unhappy.  After much ado, I finally began to mind my own business and make my life choices based on what I would be satisfied doing and what I wanted my life to look like.  I began to lead – at last!

And so the transformation began – choices made by me, for me.  First, I left a really bad working environment, then I decided to go to coaching school, and then I decided to use my skills and experience to begin a business (as in working for myself).  By minding my own business — taking care of my needs and wants — I jumped-started my new career based on making choices for myself and for my business.  I am leading myself to success by no longer following others!

So where can you apply this lesson to your life?  ANYWHERE.  You don’t have to have a business; it’s all about your life.

Let’s use weight loss for an example.  Have you been wanting to lose weight yet have not been taking the steps to reach your goal?  Maybe you are doing things that ‘other people’ are doing (i.e. following) such as Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, or any other program geared toward weight loss.  While that may work for some, it might not be working for you.  That’s okay because everyone is different!  You need to look at what would work for you by asking yourself questions such as: What is it I want to get out of this?  How does this program fit into my life?  When this is over, what do I want my life to look like?

Following other people is often what keeps us stuck in place.  Yes, it can be helpful to have someone to follow, but being clear about why you are following them is the key to leading yourself with intention.  Remember that leading yourself with your own ideas and choices is what will bring you success.

If you like or need to be held accountable for your decisions, by all means get a buddy to keep you honest and motivated!  Find someone who understands where you are in your life now and where you want to go.  But recognize that you are leading you to your goals; it’s just with the support you want to have to reach them.

Now, go out and do the things you really want to do and know you are capable of!

As always, I am happy to have a chat with you to examine what is happening in your life so that you can really begin to mind your own business to reach the successes that you want!

Please share your thoughts, insights and revelations below!

 

© Copyright 2012 Kim Ravida Coaching. All rights reserved. Feel free to use the material from the article in whole or in part, just makes sure you include this complete acknowledgement including the live website link and let me know where the material will appear: “Kim Ravida, owner and founder of Kim Ravida Coaching, is a Certified Professional Coach and a personal and professional motivation mentor. In essence, she motivates people to stop beating themselves up and helps them get off their butts so that they maximize their time and energy to quickly get what they want in their lives… and love their reflection! Kim produces a weekly ezine where she shares insights, inspirations, tips and ideas for setting and reaching personal and professional goals. To get more information or sign up, please go to www.kimravida.com.” 

Filed Under: Personal Development Tagged With: , , , , ,

Are You Wondering How You Can Easily Move Forward

May 7, 2012 By

Do you know the place in your head where you put things for ‘later’… and then later never comes?  I do!  And boy was it causing me angst.  See, I just learned that by doing that I was putting off making decisions — and we all know where that gets us don’t we?  It gets us no where!

For example in the case of someone being overweight, by a lot or a little, there’s a black hole – they just put stuff there to deal with later.  In my experience, the stuff is often things they have happening in their lives that they would rather not have happening.  So they put their feelings away for later by eating to conceal their emotions.

Does that sound like you? Did I scare you?  I hope so, because what I want is to bring awareness for you just like I had awareness recently about my own black hole.  Let me tell you the good news: it almost always comes down to fear.  We are afraid of something, whether it’s ourselves, others, or the unknown.  So what do we do?  We put things away to deal with at another time when we think we won’t be afraid.  Well, guess what?  Later has arrived!  It is time to deal, decide and move on!  The big buzz word now-a-days is ‘moving forward’ – yet, in my practice I see lots of people doing just the opposite, they are standing still.  I’m discovering this is because they haven’t dealt with their black hole.

Let’s deal with it! Here are seven steps that will help you deal with it, begin to make decisions and then follow through so you can move on.  Because I know — really, I do — that you do not want to be or stay where you are.  I’ve had clients and people close to me in the exact same situation and they always say, “I want to move forward but I don’t know how”, so let me get you started moving forward.

  1. Acknowledge that you have a black hole and what it is.
  2. Recognize that your black hole served a purpose for you. At the time that was a good thing, but not anymore.
  3. Think about where you really want to be or how you really want to feel.
  4. Decide on ONE thing you can do to take a small step forward toward that goal.  Say it out loud and then write it down.  Put a date when you will do it and post it where you will see it.
  5. Take the action — DO — what you said you would do in Step 4.
  6. Celebrate your small step and be proud of what you have accomplished! Reward yourself responsibly.
  7. Repeat Steps 3 through 6 over and over again until you have eradicated your black hole and reached your goal.

Seriously, how hard was that?  It is not impossible, right?  I just followed those steps myself.  See, I like to play along with you because not only am I inspired by knowing that you will be taking these steps, I am a true believer in walking your talk.  It’s not “Do as I say”; it really is me doing it as well!  If I inspire you to take action, then I’m a very happy person!

I’d love to hear about your black hole; please share your thoughts, insights and revelations below.

 

© Copyright 2012 Kim Ravida Coaching. All rights reserved. Feel free to use the material from the article in whole or in part, just makes sure you include this complete acknowledgement including the live website link and let me know where the material will appear: “Kim Ravida, owner and founder of Kim Ravida Coaching, is a Certified Professional Coach and a personal and professional motivation mentor. In essence, she motivates people to stop beating themselves up and helps them get off their butts so that they maximize their time and energy to quickly get what they want in their lives… and love their reflection! Kim produces a weekly ezine where she shares insights, inspirations, tips and ideas for setting and reaching personal and professional goals. To get more information or sign up, please go to www.kimravida.com.”

Filed Under: Reaching Goals Tagged With: , , , ,

Are You Sleeping Through Your Life?

April 23, 2012 By

Do you ever feel like not getting out of bed in the morning?  Are you exhausted because you have so much to do?  What about what others want from you?  Do you look around and say “This is my life?  Really?”  And then want to pull the covers over your head?

Let’s say you have decided to go to the gym every morning and are finding that gee, you just can’t seem to get out of the bed.  You just lie there hitting the snooze button again and again and again.  You’ll go tomorrow.  And then, well, we know how that goes.   If you are still reading this, you may even be one of those people who “I’ll do it tomorrow” is a regular thought or phrase for you.

You know, sometimes it’s great to ‘do it tomorrow’ – remember we can’t always do everything in one day.  I know that first hand as I’ve chosen to only spend five hours in my office.  So then, how do we ‘do it today’ and not put it off and essentially sleep through our lives?

First, acknowledge that we cannot do everything.   As women we like to do it all, yet, exactly what is the ‘all’?  And who is the ‘all’ for?  Second — after you have answered the above two questions — determine exactly what it is you want and why.  Do you really want to go to the gym?  If the answer is yes, then by all means, figure out a plan to get there.  If the answer is no, whew, we now have an answer as to why you haven’t been able to get there.

Ok, so you are asking “Now what?”  If you really want to do something, you have to make changes in your life.  If you want to get in shape, feel better, fit into your clothes and have greater health, it’s time to figure out a way for you to do that for yourself.

I’ve used the example of exercise but this can be related to all things.  You can be sleeping through your life by not spending quality time with your children or staying in a job you hate and that is unsatisfying.  There are many ways we sleep through our lives.  Once you make the decision to – as Steve Jobs says –‘change something’, you will find that you are less exhausted in your life, not sleeping through it as much and beginning to enjoy it and come alive like you never thought possible.

As a coach, I help women fit the pieces of their lives together, so please, if you even question “Could I be sleeping through my life?” – let’s talk.  It costs nothing to talk and we’ll see if coaching may be for you.  Remember, coaching is about moving forward.  There is the beginning, the glorious middle and then an ending for which you are not only moving forward but finding that the pieces of your life are fitting you better than imagined!  There is magic in that!  Email me to schedule a call.  Don’t wait to wake up!  Do it now!

I’d love to hear your thoughts, insights and revelations below!

 

© Copyright 2012 Kim Ravida Coaching. All rights reserved. Feel free to use the material from the article in whole or in part, just makes sure you include this complete acknowledgement including the live website link and let me know where the material will appear: “Kim Ravida, owner and founder of Kim Ravida Coaching, is a Certified Professional Coach and a personal and professional motivation mentor. In essence, she motivates people to stop beating themselves up and helps them get off their butts so that they maximize their time and energy to quickly get what they want in their lives… and love their reflection! Kim produces a weekly ezine where she shares insights, inspirations, tips and ideas for setting and reaching personal and professional goals. To get more information or sign up, please go to www.kimravida.com.” 

Filed Under: Reaching Goals Tagged With: , , , , ,

What If You Already Had What You Were Seeking

April 9, 2012 By

Recently I was reading a book that I thought was going to give me ideas to be more productive in my business.  I was super excited; I can always use new ideas!  Well, it wasn’t at all what I expected.  I began to feel a bit dismayed and thought “I don’t like this” – but decided to finish it, because I know that everything happens for a reason and gems appear often out of nowhere.  I was interested in seeing what my gem would be.  About two pages until the end I realized what the gem was – this book was telling me why I was already productive!  How cool is that?

What a revelation!  Here I had been looking for answers and solutions and — guess what — I already had them.  I gained a new understanding of how I am productive and, boy, with that awareness I saw myself differently.  I believe in the statement “When you change your perspective, things change”.  Wayne Dwyer is famous for saying “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”  I had been thinking I needed more answers, more solutions, more knowledge, and more whatever I could get externally to help me be more, do more and learn more… when this book sent me the message I already have all that I was seeking.

How enlightening and freeing!  Since one of my values is freedom, this was a joy to discover.

This got me to thinking: how often in our lives might we discount ourselves, another person, or a situation and just blow it off and not even give it a chance?  Oh, I know what the answer is — it’s more times than not!  I know this because I’ve done it, my family, friends and clients have done (and are still doing) it.  So let me ask you this, where might you (and perhaps those around you) benefit from a change in perspective?  Who could benefit from you looking at them differently?

Now, I have had a lot of coaching and I know that the benefit is in having an objective party see what I might not be seeing, challenge what I might not be willing to challenge, and to support my forward movement.  Coaches help you see your blind spot and to encourage you to step out from behind it, to flourish, to grow and to fit into being you.  For me, it is so helpful to see a side of myself that I didn’t see before.

My advice for you is to stop for a moment and look around you with fresh eyes.  Where do you already have the information, the knowledge, and the know-how, but haven’t seen it to be able to take advantage of it for yourself?  Or maybe you discovered a big revelation, like me, and are a scared to go forward and would like some support.  I encourage you to reach out to a friend, colleague or a coach to help you reach outside your box.  Getting that support is all that is standing in your way!

In any event, I’d love to hear what you have discovered; please share your thoughts, insights and revelations below!

 

© Copyright 2012 Kim Ravida Coaching. All rights reserved. Feel free to use the material from the article in whole or in part, just makes sure you include this complete acknowledgement including the live website link and let me know where the material will appear: “Kim Ravida, owner and founder of Kim Ravida Coaching, is a Certified Professional Coach and a personal and professional motivation mentor. In essence, she motivates people to stop beating themselves up and helps them get off their butts so that they maximize their time and energy to quickly get what they want in their lives… and love their reflection! Kim produces a weekly ezine where she shares insights, inspirations, tips and ideas for setting and reaching personal and professional goals. To get more information or sign up, please go to www.kimravida.com.” 

Filed Under: Personal Development Tagged With: , , ,

March on Your Journey to Success

March 26, 2012 By

March!  I just happen to like the word; it makes me think of forward movement with intention!  Since I was feeling a bit playful when I sat down to write, I looked up other words for march: stride, strut, swagger, advance, progression, and evolution!  Love them all!  There are others, but I’m only sharing those that spoke to me.

One thing I know is that we are all able to ‘march’ forward, yet we often hold ourselves back for many reasons like time, energy, or other people.  Or is it fear of the unknown?  Or is it something you think would be too hard?  Would the change seem like too much of a stretch for you?  If you were given an awesome opportunity … would you even take it?  If not, what is stopping you?  What if you eliminated those negative thoughts — whatever they are — and began to think differently and more positively?  What if you set aside those reasons — whatever they are — and made the decision to march forward and reach for what you want?  How would you feel then?  Would it be exciting?  Did a voice in your head whisper “Do it! It would be exciting!”  And guess what?  The voice in your head is right!  And the best part:  it’ll be easy because you only need to say it is so and so it is.

Ok, now that we have established that not only is it possible, it’s easy, are you as energized as I am just thinking of marching forward?  Where do you want to march to?  Is it to a new you?  Maybe you want to lose weight or reduce stress?  Maybe you want to get a new job – one that really fits you and your lifestyle and your values?  Maybe it’s to set time aside to plan your evolution?  Maybe it is to create more family time with your spouse, children, and animals?  Whatever it is… go for it!

Now to be realistic, you will put things in your path to make it more difficult.  Fear will rise up and you’ll wonder: “Can I do this? Should I do this? What if it doesn’t work?”  All kinds of other thoughts will likely show up, too.  So I have a trick to help you outsmart them!  When you doubt a decision you’ve made, ask yourself “Am I questioning this from a place of fear or love?”  If you find you are making it from a place of fear, ask why.  Why is it a place of fear and how true is that fear?  When we come from a place of love, love for ourselves, others, and the Universe, it’s joyful, exciting and easy.

As you march yourself to your success, know that your life — like mine — is your own special journey: you get to say how it will be!  Here is to hoping your March forward to success continues through this year and beyond!  I’d love for you to share your success with me – scroll on down to the comments section and let me know what great things you are marching toward!

 

© Copyright 2012 Kim Ravida Coaching. All rights reserved. Feel free to use the material from the article in whole or in part, just makes sure you include this complete acknowledgement including the live website link and let me know where the material will appear: “Kim Ravida, owner and founder of Kim Ravida Coaching, is a Certified Professional Coach and a personal and professional motivation mentor. In essence, she motivates people to stop beating themselves up and helps them get off their butts so that they maximize their time and energy to quickly get what they want in their lives… and love their reflection! Kim produces a weekly ezine where she shares insights, inspirations, tips and ideas for setting and reaching personal and professional goals. To get more information or sign up, please go to www.kimravida.com.” 

Filed Under: Reaching Goals Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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