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There is always more than one solution!
We are having a record amount of snowfall here in Seattle. My little girl is having the fun of her lifetime, snowball fight, making snowman, sledding, you name it! Though I was a little lazy initially, now I am enjoying it too. Even shoveling seems to be fun. This afternoon when I was trying to clean up the driveway my daughter wanted to do it too. With having only one shovel, taking turns seemed to be the only choice we had. But I was getting a little impatient as it would be hard to finish the work before evening. At first, I thought I will just be the parent and…
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Empowering Language – Change the Word to Change the Outcome
Language is power. When we speak, we exercise the power of language to transform reality. —Julia PenelopeWhat, we say and how we say it impacts our own experience and the experience we have of other people in our life. Our communication has an impact not only on a conscious, mental level but also on many subtle levels. Words convey underlying messages to our subconscious mind, evoking physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual meaning for others and us. Some words and phrases are less empowering (or useful) than others. For example, say the following words to yourself: “I have to stop at the bank on my way home”. Pay particular attention to…
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Live a Creative Life
[I have recently read this book, The Power of TED* The Empowerment Dynamic. I am writing a synopsis to share the concepts with my readers. This is the second and last part of my write up. I address the “Creator Orientation and The Empowerment Dynamic (TED).” Part 1-Victim Orientation and Dreaded Drama Triangle(DDT) is here. ] My friend once wrote in her Facebook status, “I know what I don’t want, but I don’t know what I DO want.” She spoke for many. Most of the time, we know what we don’t want, what we want to avoid, and what problems are causing us troubles. How about having a shift from this and…
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The Power of TED* (Part1)- Victim Orientation and Dreaded Drama Triangle
How many times we feel sad, upset, or mad and act very negatively just “because someone else did it”? We feel we are the victim of someone else’s fault; there is not much we can do but to react (negative way) unless another person solves the problem for us. This is called the victimhood. Victimhood is a very common orientation among mankind; It is everywhere… most of the news reports are stories of Victims and Persecutors and, sometimes, Rescuers. The feeling that the victim has is all fear-based and produces various anxieties. As a victim one become very hyper-vigilant, always anticipate the next bout of suffering. A victim always sees…
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Where IS my passion?
Too often I hear, “I know I hate my job, but I don’t know either what else I would do- I don’t know where my passion is”. I don’t find it surprising at all! As a matter of fact, I have had the same question a while ago; it took me months and years to find out where my passion is. According to Wikipedia, Passion can be expressed as a feeling of unusual excitement, enthusiasm or compelling emotion towards a subject, idea, person, or object. A person is said to have a passion for something when they have a strong positive affinity for it. In my personal definition passion is…
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What is Coaching
Most of my time as a coach is being spent educating people on the concept of Coaching. Every time I have a hard time explaining the difference between therapy and coaching. Recently I realized, it’s better to say “forget therapy for now”! This is how I want to say it: You are a smart, well-functioning adult, mostly successful, and pretty much independent in your thoughts and actions. There are certain times you feel stuck, a little confused, or just need someone to talk to. Someone you could go to and bounce off your thoughts and ideas by, someone you could have as your wise sounding board. Someone you feel safe…
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How I Decided On Career Change- Software Engineer to a Coach
In 2009 I made this big leap. I left a high paying software job to find what really brings the best in people – started pursuing coaching as a career. My family, friends, and ex-coworkers were surprised if not shocked. They asked me so many questions – “How did you decide that you wanted to be a coach?” Someone even asked, “So how did it happen, one fine morning, you just decided on this?” Some commented, “I wish I knew what my passion is”. My short answer, “it took me a few years of dissatisfaction and trying out different activities, and finally one year of rigorous thinking to find out…
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Everyday Creativity: Find your next best answer
The more I learn about coaching, it boils down to how to make life more satisfying from inside-out, from a higher level of human development. I see Life as our biggest creative pursuit – only if we focus on it with the right attitude, it is on us how we design it. Coaching can empower the client to focus and to design it in his/her own way. Photojournalist Dewitt Jones has described it as how we can discover extraordinary things from apparently ordinary things when we have the right attitude. His Everyday Creativity teaches a surprising truth about creativity: that it’s not a magical, mysterious occurrence, but a ready tool that enables you to look at the…
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ICF Coaching Client Study – top motivators: Self-esteem, work-life balance & career
Here are some nuggets from the ICF Global Coaching Client Study 2009: Clients are generally satisfied with the coaching experience. In addition to awarding very high ratings to all of the coaching criteria tested, the vast majority of clients also indicated that they were very satisfied with their experience. Further confirming the success coaches are having is the fact that almost all (96%) clients showed that they would repeat the coaching experience given the same circumstances that lead them there in the first place. Interesting facts –96.2 percent of coaching clients report they would repeat their coaching experience. — 82.7 percent of coaching clients report they are “very satisfied” with…
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Are you living from outside-in?
“In all of my experience, I’ve never seen lasting solutions to problems, lasting happiness and success that came from the outside in.” —Stephen Covey, Author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People“ Attempting to live from the outside is similar to following the wish of others instead of trusting the answers from within you. If you are consistently accommodating yourself to do what others want or expect, you are living from the outside in. Living life from the outside-in takes more effort and energy because it calls for being someone you’re not. Change from the inside-out is more energizing and fun. You begin to experience more ease. As you…
