June 16, 2008
There have been some questions about what industry we are targeting with our programs. The answer is "your" industry. You may be in real estate, floorcovering, environmental and recycling, education, public service, health care, finance, sales, manufacturing, distribution or any number of additional industries. We have the training and experience to design a program to your specific needs. We address your personal and business visions and goals. All of the work is based on balance in your life, values and desires. Thank you for taking the time to enjoy our newsletter.
Change: Where does it begin?
Most people that hire me as their coach are looking to change something in their life. It might be that they are unhappy in their job and want to change. Some are unhappy with their financial situation and want it to change. Others simply feel as though they are not reaching their potential and want to make changes. Realizing change is needed is a good first step. For one thing, change is inevitable. There is nothing we can do to stop it, so we are going to be much happier if we embrace change and make it work for us rather than against us. Once we focus in on what it is that really needs to change, we begin to set the foundation for life altering, lasting change. There are several steps to this, but I believe the most important is to change the way we think.
Now you might say,"we can't control our thoughts". I disagree with that statement. Our thoughts are like any other habit we have and if we practice the right kind of thoughts, they will begin to take over our mind, and our actions will soon follow. Lets call this healthy thinking. Why healthy thinking? The simple act or ability to think is one of the things that set us apart as humans. If we allow ourselves to dwell on our thoughts of missed opportunity, bad decisions, failures in relationships and others, we will probably find ourselves in a state of mind that leads us into the same patterns over and over again.
Feelings are used every day by people to fuel their day. We sometimes use the excuse that we cannot change or control our thoughts and by this change our feelings and emotions, but with help and practice we can. How powerful are our thoughts? Individual thoughts are the building blocks of our feelings, actions and emotions. How or what we think cannot change reality. But our thoughts do affect the way we deal with reality and the way we deal with adverse or difficult times.
Our thoughts will also lead us to do things we did not intend to happen or really want to happen. The Bible tells us we will reap what we sow. We must continually be removing the un-desirable thoughts from our mind or it will become overgrown with the type of thoughts that will cause action and deeds that do not bring positive results or attract the people and situations we desire.
In the book "Habits of the Mind", Dr. Archibald D Hart suggests some habits we can use to begin our journey to a healthier, godlier way of thinking. Let's look at each one and discuss their merit.
See the good in others.
This one is a must. If it were possible for us to like everyone then God would not have commanded us to love each other. Let's substitute the word accept for love here. We must accept others for who they are. We do not have to accept their ideas or actions if they are contradictory of our own beliefs. This holds true for ourselves as well. Focus on the things we do well, and don't accept the negative thoughts or feelings that hold us captive.Permission to fail.
We must understand that we can sometimes fail simply because we are human. Only recently have I been able to accept and understand that the failures in my life are what have caused me to be who I am today. God has used my failures to teach and mold me in ways that would not have been possible accept in this manner. I suppose failure is life's way of critiquing us.Do not punish ourselves.
This goes along with allowing ourselves to fail and not allowing ourselves to dwell in the past. It is possible that we fail to take opportunities that come our way because we continue to beat ourselves up about past mistakes.Value life's blessings.
We must learn to be content with the things in life that don't adhere to society's way of determining wealth. A recent television commercial reminds us there are things in life that are priceless. We should always work to provide for ourselves and our families to the best of our abilities that God has given us. But we can also learn to enjoy and appreciate the things in life that cannot be bought.Optimism.
Research has shown that a negative outlook on life can actually cause physical problems. One way to make sure we keep that positive attitude is to be aware of our negative thoughts. If we increase this awareness we will be able to work towards turning these around.The Law of Attraction says we will attract what we give off. What is it you would like to begin attracting? What will you do today to start on your path to a healthier way of thinking?
As always I value your opinions so please let me know what you think about the content or what you would like to see in the newsletter.
Sincerely,
Russell Bennett, M.A. PCC
Coaching For Industry
