Perception is Reality in Abundant Living

Are you thirsting for a better, more fulfilling life of abundance? Even as the world systems seem to be erratic and out of control, the life you really desire is still possible!

Surely you’ve heard the axiom, “If you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve got.” In order for things to change, you need to do something differently.

Doing things differently starts with a change in your thoughts. Actions flow from your thinking, so if you re-examine your thoughts and beliefs, and align them with your true, deep down desires, you may find some discrepancies that need adjusting.

Just wishing for something you want can actually push it farther and farther away from you. Real change requires a change in thoughts and actions.

We don’t attract what we want in life so much as we attract who we are. There is an old proverb that says “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he”. So who we are is an extension of how we think.

When you demonstrate the life you want, you’ll attract it back toward you. Granted, you can’t just leap from here into your dream life in a single step, but you can build the bridge that enables you to cross over in the shortest possible time.

Begin by asking yourself, what do I really want? If there were no barriers and you could have whatever you wished, what do you want deep down in your core? Take a look at your finances, your relationships, your career, your spirituality, your physical health. What’s missing? What are you longing for that you are not experiencing? Drill down to the real desires beneath the surface. A surface answer might be “I want a Mazerati”. The real answer might be “I want to really move in life, I want to drive cars with no maintenance issues that are paid for and I want to flash my personal style and enjoy fun things!” Maybe those are not your personal values. Maybe your answer would be more like “I want fulfilling work that doesn’t take me completely away from my wife and children yet adequately provides for our needs.”

Your Perception is Your Reality

Is your glass half full or half empty? How you perceive the events in your life – both big and small – not only shows your underlying mindset about your life, but also plays the most important role in whether you ever reach your goals.

Appreciating the simple things in life and the good feelings that go along with it cause your brain to send out energy that vibrates in harmony with good things, and attracts more good things back to you. A glass half empty mindset causes one to not only miss out on the simple pleasures of life, but your mind sends out energy that vibrates in harmony with dissatisfaction and lack. What do you think you’ll attract back to you? More things to be unhappy about and more lack!

This also explains why wishing for something too hard can push it away from you forever. When you’re wishing for something you don’t have, you’re focusing on your lack of it. Focusing on your lack of it only attracts more lack of it back to you!

The key to abundant living is having gratitude for what you have, and expecting the things you desire! Shift your mindset to being that person that good things flow to and flow from. More to come on the subject of Abundant Living in future posts!

Make a Successful Day Routine

 

In this International Coach Federation (ICF) Blog article, Suzanne Muusers, a Financial Advisor Coach and Business Plan Consultant shares some tips on how a good morning routine effects success outcomes for your day.

June 25, 2016: 4 Simple Steps to Make the Most of Your Day.

Every day has a beginning and an end. The sun rises. At noon, the sun is high in the sky. When the sun sets, evening begins. Have you ever wondered whether having a great morning routine would make a difference in how your day ends?

What are you doing to begin your day in a positive manner? What’s your morning routine?

Over the years, I have come to view the early morning as a time to get myself settled, visualize the day, and become motivated to work on my coaching business.

Here are four ways professional coaches can make the most of their day: Read more

A Career as a Professional Recovery Coach can be rewarding and fulfilling. If you are already a Professional Coach, why not expand your reach with additional Recovery Coaching Credentials? Visit us here to review of our programs. http://ift.tt/1AwZyYw

 

Learning, Understanding and Encouraging: How to Help a Loved One Get into Treatment

You can’t really help someone recover from substance abuse till you understand what addiction entails. If you suspect a loved one is suffering from addiction or substance abuse, your first step should be to educate yourself about addiction.

When dealing with a loved one’s addiction, it is important to stay open to all their needs and requirements, honest about your feelings and understanding of the affliction.

Take a look at this article from Everyday Health.

Encouraging a Loved One to Get Help for Addiction

Watching someone you love become dependent on alcohol or drugs can be incredibly difficult. Know what steps to take to help an alcoholic or drug abuser get into treatment.

You suspect that someone close to you may be an alcoholic or have problems with substance abuse. What do you do? Where do you begin? How can you help your loved one get treatment?

“A critical first step when you suspect someone is an alcoholic or has a problem with drug abuse is to become informed about addiction,” says H. Westley Clark, MD, JD, MPH, director of the Center for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in Rockville, Md. “The more you know, the easier it will be to figure out the best ways to help.” See full post here

Is a loved one battling with addiction? Waste no time, visit Recovery Coach Training.

This is What Alcohol Does to Your Body

Alcoholism, like addiction to any other substance, is deteriorating to the mind as well as the body.

We have shared information on how to stay sober, how to avoid getting drunk at social occasions and how to recover from alcoholism.

For a change, here is an article on the effects of alcohol on different parts of your body – straight from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Alcohol’s Effects on the Body

Drinking too much – on a single occasion or over time – can take a serious toll on your health.  Here’s how alcohol can affect your body:

Brain:
Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination.  

Heart:
Drinking a lot over a long time or too much on a single occasion can damage the heart, causing problems including:

• Cardiomyopathy – Stretching and drooping of heart muscle
• Arrhythmias – Irregular heart beat
• Stroke
• High blood pressure  

Research also shows that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol may protect healthy adults from developing coronary heart disease. See full post here

For more information on addiction and recovery, visit Recovery Coach Training.

Daily Practices to Ensure Success

If there were proven keys to personal success – we sure would all like to know them right? Jack Canfield, known as America’s #1 Success Coach has a few things to share on what keeps him personally inspired and in a success mindset in this recent blog post.

“Jack, what daily practices have played the biggest role in helping you achieve your level of success?”

This is one of the most frequently asked questions I get from almost everyone I meet – from my students, to top CEOs, to the great Oprah Winfrey, who asked me this very question before I appeared on her show.

I find that the most powerful actions I take every day are those that help me shift my attitude, cultivate a success mindset, and keep my most ambitious goals and dreams top of mind so I stay on target and achieve them faster.

Here are the six daily practices I use to stay inspired, keep my energy and confidence high, and accomplish more with greater joy and ease. Add them to your daily routine and I guarantee you will experience similarly great results. Read more

Learn more about a successful coaching career today at http://ift.tt/1AwZyYw . When you complete our online programs you will not only be certified as a professional coach through Fowler International Academy, but will become a member of the IAPRC International Association of Professional Recovery Coaches. A career in Coaching Excellence can start today.

Is the Occasional Drink Really That Harmless?

For victims of alcohol abuse, the answer is simply: No. You never know what could trigger that downward spiral into becoming an alcoholic once again. It can, however, be very hard to refuse a drink or two on social occasions.

We understand that. But if you want to avoid getting trapped in this endless cycle of abuse and recovery, you can will yourself to abstain – and here are some tips on how to go about doing that!

Kelly Fitzgerald writes for Sober Nation.

8 Ways to Just Say No to Alcohol In Social Situations

Source: SOBERNATION

When we make the decision to get sober we often have to relearn how to be –  how to be social, interact in relationships, and deal with emotions. It would be easy for us to lock ourselves away from the world and never have to deal with the difficult ins and outs of life, but that’s just not realistic. One of the many things we need to learn in sobriety is how to say no to alcohol in social situations. It’s recommended that we change people, places, and things in recovery, but ultimately, we should have the tools to deal with all of these situations. Triggers tend to pop up in the most peculiar places and as sober people, we must be ready. Here are 8 ways you can say no to alcohol in social situations. See full post here

Find help and care for recovery patients at Recovery Coach Training.

Be a Stand Out Coach!

Be a Stand Out Coach!

How can you stand out and get noticed as a coach? Stephanie O’Brien , a copywriter and business expert has some advice on how to separate yourself from the crowd and attract clients who want your services in this June 2, 2016 ICF (International Coaching Federation) blog article. ICF blog link

There are a lot of coaches out there, all seeking clients. But, there are also clients for whom you are a better fit than any other coach. Here are four methods you can use to stand out from the crowd, get your ideal clients’ attention, and show them that you’re the right coach for them. Read more

Specializing is one of the ways to tap into niche coaching markets, and there is hardly a greater area of need than addiction recovery. There are 60 million people in the U.S. using substances to a harmful level that are in need of compassionate coaching to avoid severe problems. There are an additional 24 million people in the U.S. who would benefit from post treatment recovery coaching.

Find out more today about our Professional Recovery Coach Program. http://ift.tt/1AwZyYw

 

Picking Up Pieces and Rebuilding Castles: How to Repair Relationships after Recovery

Through the course of battling addiction, one witnesses extensive damaging of relationships. Truth be told, not all relationships recover from the abuse and disparaging behavior. This has to do with the lack of patience and perseverance to much extent. However, with the right mindset and a whole lot of patience, relationships can recover completely.

Read this article written by Jean Rothman and medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH for Everyday Health.

Image Source: maketinqprofs.com

Repairing Relationships After Addiction

Battling an addiction to alcohol or drugs often has a negative impact on the addict’s close relationships — their spouse, parents, children, other relatives, and friends will all be affected. Rebuilding those relationships will take time and is best accomplished after recovery.

Consequences of Addiction: Ruined Relationships

It’s easy to see why relationships can become compromised by addiction. Negative behaviors that people battling substance abuse can exhibit include lying, stealing, being unfaithful, losing a job, becoming violent, causing injury to themselves or others, breaking the law, creating financial disaster, and many other disturbing kinds of conduct. See full post here

For more information on health and recovery, visit Recovery Coach Training

Discover Purpose in Your Life

If you’re like most people, you might not have figured out what you’re supposed to do with your life. What is your purpose?

What is a life purpose anyway? For our purposes, we’re going to define it as something that you love to do that also has a great impact on the world. It’s that sweet spot where you’re having a great time and doing something wonderful for as many people as possible.

Most of us leave our lives up to chance. We slide into a profession that we don’t hate and stay there or in a similar situation until we’re ready to retire. Living your purpose usually requires taking action with the intention of finding it.

There are several ways you can attempt to discover the purpose of your life: 

1. Describe your ideal day. Project yourself several years into the future and imagine that your life is essentially perfect. What would your life look like? Are you working? What type of work are you doing? What do you do all day? Who is in your life? Now that you know what the end looks like, what can you do today to take the first step in that direction? 
2. Try austerity: solitude and fasting. Go camping in a remote place or go on a silent retreat. Get alone with nature, and some bare necessities. Use the time not to loaf and sleep (although some rest may be needed) but to become centered, to meditate and journal your thoughts. Sometimes just being cut off from all the “noise” will allow you to hear your inner voice more clearly. Fasting can also take many forms, such as certain foods, media/internet/t.v., or not speaking to anyone and just being alone in a quiet place for a time. Sometimes answers become clear just by cutting away the excess, the unnecessary, the many distractions of life.
3. Volunteer. Find an organization in your community that interests you. Doing something worthwhile can be a good way to discover your purpose. Find a place of service in your local church. Become involved at your child’s school or a local charity or political organization. Let your hidden gifts come to light without the need for monetary compensation. What do you do just for the joy of doing? Are you an artist? A musician? An organizer? Do you love taking groups on excursions or preparing meals for people?  Plug into what brings you joy to give.
4. Assume you can do the impossible. When anything is possible, what would you do? Take action to bring your dreams to life.
5. Write. Perhaps the most effective way to discover your life’s purpose is to spend an hour writing. At the top of your paper write, “My life’s purpose.” Now spend the next 60 minutes writing whatever pops into your mind. When you find something that stirs strong positive feelings within you, you’re probably on the right track. 
6. Do the New Now. We all have at least one activity we’ve been putting off until a more convenient time. Doing something new exposes you to new ideas and thoughts. Now is the time to jump in and get started. You might be surprised what you discover. It doesn’t have to be a huge commitment, but even small steps forward will bring momentum.
7. Do something that terrifies you. Skydiving? Public speaking? You might find your life’s purpose during the process of conquering this fear. This can be challenging and it might take some time, but get started today.
8. Spend a day being totally inspired. From the time you wake up until the time you go to bed, attempt to spend every moment inspired. Purchase a book you have been wanting to read. Or buy a new CD to enjoy. Spend an afternoon at a museum or the zoo. Sip coffee and journal at an historic hotel or gardens. Get out of your normal routine and branch out. End the day with an inspirational movie to watch. Whatever you can do to maintain an inspired mental state. You’ll believe you can do anything. What would you do?
9. Ask yourself what you would do if you had $10 million. How would you spend your time? What would your life look like? Can you figure out a way to make a living doing one of the activities you would be willing to do for free if you had the time? Keep trying the above tips until you’ve found something that really excites you.

When you find your purpose, there will be no doubt. Avoid spending all of your life thinking and planning. Get busy doing.  Get busy living. Finding purpose in your life will make life exciting and meaningful!

Boost Your Immune System, Keep fit and Improve Your Mood – Benefits of Getting Active Outdoors

Studies have shown that exercising outdoors is not only cheaper than enrolling for gym memberships, but also more beneficial, fun and intense. Getting in touch with nature has a positive effect on our sense of fulfillment and is effective in reducing our stress levels.

Research shows that people who exercise outdoors tend to exercise more often and more intensely. Moreover cycling, walking, hiking and swimming in the open provide benefits that can’t be matched by any other activity.

Gretchen Reynolds writes for The New York Times.

Image source: superskinnyme

The Benefits of Exercising Outdoors

While the allure of the gym — climate-controlled, convenient and predictable — is obvious, especially in winter, emerging science suggests there are benefits to exercising outdoors that can’t be replicated on a treadmill, a recumbent bicycle or a track.

You stride differently when running outdoors, for one thing. Generally, studies find, people flex their ankles more when they run outside. They also, at least occasionally, run downhill, a movement that isn’t easily done on a treadmill and that stresses muscles differently than running on flat or uphill terrain. See full post here

Pack your duffle bag with electrolytes and leave for an outdoor adventure today. For more information on personal health and well-being, visit Recovery Coach Training.

Want to Feel Fulfilled and Healed?

As a Life Coach, Mentor, and as a leader of large organizations, I consistently encounter many of my fellow human beings in distress due to various events in their lives. Let’s face it, life is constantly throwing jabs and punches at us. We are dodging, ducking, weaving, more often than we would like. At times, life lands some fairly heavy blows, and inflicts wounds and pain on us. We are always looking for ways to ease that pain, to heal those wounds, to fill the emptiness that we feel at times. We are constantly searching for those things that fulfill us, and that heal those wounds that life constantly inflicts on us. Often, the search is for that silver bullet, that antidote, the dose of magic elixir that will make life recede into the shadows, put out the fire in our souls, and take away our pain.

As a result, I see many people turning to substances and things like alcohol, drugs, shopping, gambling, online activities and other stimuli to take away the pain and heal the wounds. The problem is, none of those things heal the wounds, and any pain relief is very temporary. And, as we have become all too familiar with, those supposed “solutions” bring along lots of baggage full of damaging addictions and side effects.

One thing I have found that consistently leads to fulfillment, healing, and relieving of pain, is to seek out people who need help, and to work collaboratively to help them through their dilemmas. I am convinced that we were put on this earth and designed to help our fellow human beings, and that a whole host of good things come down on us and others, when we do this. Here are 10 reasons why helping someone helps us in turn:

1. Shifting our attention to helping someone else, takes the focus off of us and our own problems
2. Helping others is a positive activity. We focus on positive things and not the negativity associated with our own issues
3. The connection we develop with others when we help them, is a satisfying feeling that washes over us and soothes our wounded souls
4. The act of doing good, just plain feels good. It heals, it takes away pain, it makes us happy. Beneficial chemicals are released in the brain when you do good
5. Helping others is great for your self esteem. It gives your psyche a tremendous boost and makes you feel powerful
6. The connections we make with others when we help them, builds friendships and a lasting bond that continues to have a positive effect on us for a long time
7. An inner peace washes over us when we selflessly give our time and assistance
8. We make the world a better place one kind act at a time
9. We set an example that others can follow
10. Helping others is a great way to learn about you and who you really are, and in turn, to help yourself

So, we really do hold the key to self-healing, easing of pain, and fulfillment. It is there for us to take advantage of, any time we need to, any time we want. And there is no shortage of tattered and hurting souls to help either. So, get out and help someone today, and enjoy the positive effects that it will bring.

Do you have your own stories about how helping others has helped you? I’d love to hear them!

You can read my blog HERE, connect on Twitter HERE, LinkedIn HERE and Facebook HERE.

 

3 Simple Steps toward Diligence and Mindfulness

It is often that during hard times we find ourselves vulnerable to harmful behavior. As anxiety sets in, emotional control starts to diminish. Soon we start behaving self-deprecatingly and plunging ourselves deeper into trouble. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

By simply making a plan and committing to it, we resolve half of our problems. What follows is a lot of practice to help you attune your mind to your situation and build a calm awareness.

Kelly Lindamood expounds on this thought at Everyday Health.

Mastering Mindfulness: 3 Steps to Daily Calm and Control

I’m a health coach who works with many women going through transitions, such as changing jobs, retiring, becoming empty nesters, and caring for aging parents. Major transitions are times when unhelpful behaviors like anxiety and overeating tend to take over, but they don’t have to. Cultivating mindfulness can be the secret to fighting those undesirable responses to stress.
See full post here.

Find time to relax and unwind regularly and keep a check on negative thoughts. For more information, visit Recovery Coach Training