It is our choice as to how we view the future. I choose to believe that the recession can have some positive outcomes if we look for them. Now can be the time to change careers, go back to college, or do some “soul searching” about what is really important to us. I challenge you to think of the present as a time for new opportunity instead of feeling limited and trapped because of the poor economy. Let me know some ideas that you have on this subject.

Enjoy life to the fullest!   

I am taking some wonderful classes right now that are increasing my awareness of my life and what I can do with my life. Did you know that we limit ourselves when we stop learning or growing? Sometimes it’s easier to make our decisions with the knowledge and experiences that we have already gone through, instead of adding new learning/experiences to our “mind library” even if the experiences are negative.

The foundation of a house is made up of very strong materials (cement, steel) so it won’t crack or collapse under severe weather. Our personal foundation is our structural basis that supports us in living an “exceptional” life which includes our body, mind and spirit. We need protection against stress and other things that can destroy our foundation.

Having a strong personal foundation helps us to live a more meaningful life. Why? Because we will be able to fully use our skills and resources which in turn will naturally attract the things we want in life.  

“A skyscraper doesn’t start at street level. In fact, the taller the building, the deeper the foundation. This holds true for people, too.”

Strengthening our personal foundation is a wonderful opportunity to deepen our level of intimacy with ourselves. We can:
• Broaden our horizons
• Increase our awareness
• Be free to make the choices that lead to personal fulfillment
• Be able to align our actions with our values and purpose.

Who doesn’t want to accomplish more in life?
Wouldn’t you like to have more time to do the things you enjoy?

You will accomplish more, more easily if you take the time to strengthen your personal foundation.

A solid foundation will stand against any obstacles. A Life Coach can guide/direct you through the stepping stones toward developing yourself and your life so it becomes enhanced and more rewarding.  

The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty.  Zig Ziglar 

Sign up for my newsletter to receive more information about building a better personal foundation program at http://www.theskyisthelimitcoaching.com.   

My reply is “Who said that I have to do all of the Christmas functions”?
Many women (me included) feel we have to be indispensible and take care of everything. I feel it is time to begin delegating these Christmas rituals around my house. My husband helps, he makes sure the lights are up on the outside of the house and he always offers to be the taste tester for my fudge and cookies. He used to carry the Christmas tree up the stairs and have to vacuum all the pine needles that fell off during the trip—until we bought an artificial tree last year. He always liked the smell of fresh Christmas trees, but he is willing to forego that tradition this year! 

STRESS is beginning to take over my thrill of Christmas time, so I thought that maybe since I feel stressed there are others who feel overwhelmed with holiday activities too! Stress usually comes on the scene when we feel that Christmas has to be “perfect”. Our expectations and what we “should” do are two different things.

YOU CAN DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY THIS YEAR—–and make it a new tradition!
Three things that I have found that help me overcome stress during the holidays are:
1. Tell yourself “DON’T TRY TO DO EVERYTHING YOURSELF”
We can delegate other things so why can’t we delegate some of the Christmas chores (rituals) to others in the family. Most people will assist when asked. You may need to make a list of things that need to be done and identify which ones that you would really like to do and then ask other family members to assist with the others.

2. Eliminate things that are very stressful to you. Decide which Christmas parties that you want to attend. Most people will understand if you are not able to attend their Christmas party/function.  Set priorities about which functions are most important to you and just attend those.

3. Set Boundaries. You do not have to say “YES” when asked to do things that you do not want to do. You may not have time to attend a potluck dinner at the church or at your neighbor’s house. You don’t have to give them excuses. We should be able to say “yes” to the things that we really enjoy and “no” to the things that are not that important to us.  

CHALLENGE FOR YOU 
You still have time to make your list of things that you need to do before Christmas. Begin delegating certain functions to others, decide which festivities you want to attend, and begin practicing saying “NO” to the things that you don’t enjoy (or have time for).

By doing these things YOU may find that you NOW have time to go to a movie or just relax in the “Hot Tub” for a while!

Remember the Christmas season is to be a time for family and a time to enjoy the season. 

YOU are the one in control of your STRESS!
Please visit my site at www.theskyisthelimitcoaching.com and take advantage of my FREE 30 MINUTE coaching session.  Can also contact me at: debmiles1@gmail.com/850-380-5770

If you are like me you are probably sick of watching all the commercials about WHO we should vote for and WHY we should vote for them! So much information—I’ll have my mind made up and then I hear another commercial and begin to doubt my candidate.

It is most important that we study the candidate’s viewpoint and then compare it to our values and viewpoints regarding our life situation. Is this the most qualified person and the best person for this particular job? Does this person have strong morals and values that would enable him/her to move our city/state/country forward in a positive way?

The election year helps me to review my values and strengths. Am I living up to my highest potential and am I being a good example to my family, co-workers, and friends? Maybe this would be a good time for all of us to question our behaviors, attitudes and purpose in life.

I would encourage everyone to exercise their right by going out and voting on election day if you have not already voted. We have early voting in Florida and many people have already voted here. Each and every vote is important and can make a difference.

CHALLENGE FOR YOU:

Think of ways that you can make a difference in someone’s life or how you can make a difference within your family, job, or community. It doesn’t have to be something that costs a lot of money or takes up much time. Example: Express appreciation to a co-worker or spend quality time with a family member.

Sometimes we feel we are “stretched to the max” with our time. Our resources are limited and we don’t know which way to turn for assistance. We might just need someone to help keep us focused on what our priorities in life are—getting sidetracked is not hard to do when we are being pulled in so many directions. A Life Coach could assist with this need and be a nonjudgmental person that would listen to you and help direct you to the path you desire. Feel free to view my site www.theskyisthelimitcoaching.com or email Debbie at debmiles1@gmail.com for a thirty minute free consultation.   

I agree with Mark Twain:
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Feel free to view my newsletter at: www.theskyisthelimitcoaching.com
Sign up for my Free 30 minute Coaching Consultation.
Phone:850-380-5770/Email:debmiles1@gmail.com 

It is now summertime and we are enjoying outdoor activities. Many of us are thinking about time off—VACATION! Taking time to relax and be with our family members is most important. It seems like we become so busy with our work that we “put off” the things that we most enjoy. I’ve been reading a book that my husband gave me for Christmas “101 Things You Should Do Before Going To Heaven”, don’t get me wrong I hope that I’m not dying anytime soon, but I sure have enjoyed doing some of the things that the book suggests to do before you die.

The author suggests taking a retro road trip—-he says a “road trip” is different from a “car trip”. A car trip is getting from one place to another without killing each other or the kids! Ha! A road trip is about the journey—no agendas–taking back roads—enjoying the view—no time schedules! I could get into that. He also says to turn off the radio, CD player and no movies for the kids!

Taking a road trip would be one way to re-discover ourselves. Having time to slow down and enjoy the ride and the view—rethink our goals and our priorities.

A time to ask yourself thought provoking questions:

Is my life the life that I choose?
What would I do different if I could?
Do I have what it takes to reach my dreams?
What would I do differently if I had the chance?

As you rediscover the joy of your journey through life—-remember to take time for yourself and live life as if today might be the last day of your life. My motto is “Life’s Too Short” so let’s enjoy every minute of the day. Dare to do something that you have been “putting off” because of _______ (answer could be FEAR, no motivation, or not enough time)!

I would love to hear of any suggestions/ideas that you might have of fun things to do that could add joy and fulfillment to our lives. Have a great summer!

Take my Improve Your Life Quiz!

I use to be such a positive person and be in control of my life- What happened?

Do you see everything that comes your way as a problem, even a catastrophe?

Do you tend to fly off the handle over something that is relatively minor instead of addressing major issues in your life? (Called “sweating the small stuff”)?

Do you get road rage?

Do you spend more time stressing over a project than actually working on it?

Do activities that should be fun (spending time at a child’s baseball, soccer game) irritate you instead of being fun and relaxing?

These are just a few examples of how we have changed the joys of life into annoyances.  How did we get this way?   

Most employees appear to be able to juggle their time between work and family for a while, and then something happens.  Sometimes employees “feel” they are so important at work that they begin to place all of their energy and time into their jobs and neglect family time.  The funny thing is that we don’t even realize that we are neglecting our families (and ourselves) until someone points it out to us.  Of course, we disagree and inform the other family members that they don’t understand how important the job is, and the job will not demand as much time in the future.  Are we trying to convince the family members, or “ourselves”?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, you are probably experiencing “excess stress” in your life (job or family).   If this is not recognized and managed properly, it could cause major health problems as well as family problems.  A certain amount of stress can be healthy: but the results of on-going, long lasting stress can affect your mind, body, and spirit.  When this stress becomes “out of control” it is called BURNOUT! 

Who is most at risk for BURNOUT?

·         Persons who show the most promise at the beginning of their careers.

·         Perfectionists and workaholics

·         High achievers

·         Persons who work in the “helping occupations”

·         Professionals in the medical field, law enforcement, and education are especially prone to burnout symptoms.

How do employees suffering from BURNOUT feel?

·         That they must answer for everything that happens

·         They blame others or the situation (rather than taking action for change)

·         They feel co-workers cooperate very little with them

·         Feel powerless to change things

·         They eventually assume a “martyr-like” position  

How does BURNOUT happen?

Burnout usually happens when a person’s life is “out of balance” whether at work or at home.  Most people do not realize that stress at home often preceeds stress at work.  Does the old saying “If MAMA ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy” come to mind?  Burnout applies to home life, family life, and social obligations.  

What causes the excessive stress that leads to BURNOUT?

·        Poor time management

·        Not setting priorities/boundaries

·        Difficulties adapting to changes in the schedule or work routine

·        Feeling overwhelmed with responsibility

·        Lack of support from family or co-workers

How will I know if I am experiencing BURNOUT? (Early/Late signs)

·  Feeling fatigued and frustrated

·  Increased consumption of caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine

·  Total loss of interest in job/negative feelings about work

·  Withdrawal from other people/co-workers

·  Moodiness and irritability /chronic absenteeism 

·  Low self-esteem/productivity drops

Can BURNOUT be REVERSED? 

·         Examine how you perceive an issue

·         Laugh (humor and laughter are tremendous healers)

·         Share your feelings and concerns with co-workers/ supervisor

·         Set limits and take charge of your life (It’s OK to say NO)

·         Set boundaries at work/home/social activities

If you try these interventions and continue to experience feelings of BURNOUT, you might consider looking for a different job.  Being in a stimulating environment that motivates us to do our best is what helps to bring out our skills/talents that are unique to each of us. 

We are not doing ourselves, our agency, or our clients any good if we are not motivated to do our best.  There is a big difference in activity and actions: activity makes us appear to be busy, but having a good action plan is what produces results and increased productivity.  Having balance in our physical, spiritual, and emotional parts of our life is most important in living our life to the fullest potential.  If we can make a commitment to treat ourselves as well as we treat our clients and family members, maybe we will not experience BURNOUT and we can have our THUNDER back!