My Mom was my first life coach!

She was the first person who created a safe space for me to be all of me. She showed me that life was full of learning and that learning could be FUN! She saw my greatness when all I could see were my limitations. She nudged me out of my comfort zone, giving me opportunities to try things she had a hunch I would love. Most of all she loved me with out reservation or conditions.

Thanks Mom for giving me the best foundation for my life and my career!

Who was your first life coach?
What would a partnership with a coach give you today?

Call me and let’s get to work!

Hannah Kearney

What do you want to be when you grow up?

• Construction Worker
• Detective
• Professional Soccer Player
• Musician
• Olympic Athlete
• Archeologist

Those are some of the answers to that question around our house these days. Each answer gives clues about that person’s passion in that moment. It is delightful to witness how those passions blossom.

I love asking myself and my clients that question. It invites us to dream, to wonder, to change. The question nudges us to consider possibilities and assumes that there is always room to grow!

My husband is percolating on plans to ride his bicycle across America. My nephew would like to be a successful ballet dancer in New York. My thriving flight attendant friend looks forward to the day when she can return to the Missionary work that feeds her soul. When I grow up, I want to create a lucrative business cooperative for women entrepreneurs who are as dedicated to their families as they are to their work.

So how about you – What do you want to be when you grow up?

Image source: http://www.nbcolympics.com/freestyle-skiing/index.html

During the last month I have been asked to SIMPLY NOTICE from a variety of teachers and in a variety of settings. Simply notice what I am feeling or thinking in a given moment without an imperative to DO SOMETHING. Simply notice my breathing. Simply notice the thoughts that cross my mind. Simply notice the tension or sensation in my body. Simply notice the color of someone’s eyes or the sound of their voice.

Here is what I discovered so far:

1. I spend a good deal of time doing! On a typical day in my office I am talking to clients, hosting teleconferences, sorting through email, networking, scheduling, writing, etc. I step out of my workplace and into cooking dinner, supervising homework and music practice, scheduling, laundry, etc.

2. When I am not busy doing, I was astonished to discover how much time I spend going over and over something in my mind. My TO DO list gets a regular mental review. The argument I had with my husband or my kids gets rehashed. My worries about my family get turned over and over. My business adventures take up my thoughts. Sometimes the thinking is incubating new ideas or activities but there is a lot of time spent ruminating!

3. The practice of SIMPLY NOTICING had a fantastic effect. I feel free. I feel the weight lift from my shoulders. I feel calm. I am empowered – in any moment I can stay preoccupied with my activity (mental or physical) or simply notice my deep breaths or the cool fresh air on my face or my daughter’s delightful laughter.

How does simply noticing empower you?

Aren’t these vivid, tangible metaphors inspiring? I get to write my own story, make my own path, and set my personal intentions.

What DO I want?

Sometimes the prospect of endless possibility is paralyzing. It is so big, so wide open that it overwhelms me. I don’t know where to start. I am frozen, not empowered!

And then I take a deep breath and come home, home to my heart.

Today, I am surprised to discover that my heart is brimming with joy and satisfaction. I had no idea how full it is. I feel the heart to heart connection to those I love and those that love me! As I linger here, I can feel the swirling juice of life course though my whole body. I see faces, recall sweet moments, sink deeper into that ever present pool of love.

Wow … who knew? I have been so caught up in the hubbub of activity, I lost track of simply being. Now I know what I want for today. I want to carry this delightful heart-filling joy with me as I go on through my day – coaching my clients, prepping for my class, cooking dinner, connecting with my husband and children. Coming home to my heart, I can carry my being into the doing of the day.

How are you living with possibility today?

Under the YAHOO, we look at accomplishments, what you are most proud of, and any other items to celebrate; BOO HOO – goals not achieved, regrets, disappointments and any sad moments; AH-HAHs – key learnings or lessons this year offered.

Then my clients create a personal ritual for closing out the year.  Once that is complete, we tackle setting intentions for the next year.

How will you wrap up 2009?

Young and old look forward to the “race.”  My children start planning for it long before the adults plan the dinner menu. Everyone is engaged, whether by running the course, being a timer or commentator, or cheerleading.

Of course, this tradition got me thinking…

In planning our post dinner fun, everyone looks forward to creating a challenging set of obstacles and seeing how each person masters those challenges.  How could we bring that excited anticipation to the challenges and obstacles in our own lives?  Who enthusiastically cheers us on when we stumble?

Of course, part of the fun of the event is the competition. We are racing against the clock and each other but there is never a clear winner.  The goal seems to be to do your best and have fun at the same time.  What if we approached our lives with the same friendly competition and intention to do our best?

One more thing that adds to the delight: Nobody gets bent out of shape about the impromptu changes that happen as we run the course (like one of the spectators deliberately stepping into someone’s path). We laugh and admire the contestant’s ability to adapt on the fly.  How can we playfully handle the unexpected in our lives?

We are already making plans for next year. Would you like to join us?

• Buy Groceries
• Send Holiday cards
• Balance the books
• Deadlines this week
• Piles of email
• Kids’ homework
• OMG – I forgot to get my blog ready for tomorrow!

“CALGON TAKE ME AWAY!”  ;-D

I think I need a retreat.  Thank goodness my FREE Teleclass this week features the delightful, down-to-earth Retreat Coach, Michelle Burns. She is going to lead us in a mini-retreat to reconnect, get grounded, and BREATH.  There is still time to register HERE.  Michelle is absolutely passionate about this crucial tool for success.   I am happily anticipating this hour of playful reflection and conversation.  Hope you can join the fun and respite.

Regardless of the reason, my typical reaction is to chide myself, “I have nothing to be crabby about. I have a nice home in a safe neighborhood. I have 3 healthy happy kids and a devoted loving husband. I have work that I love….” That litany of judgments doesn’t help at all. It just makes me even CRABBIER!

So I have been experimenting with making room for the Crabasaurus – including it, welcoming it instead of ignoring it or trying to push it away.

One immediate effect of including it – a huge sigh of relief. I literally breathe easier. I don’t have to DO anything – just be in this moment. Another interesting result – I notice an increase in compassion and tenderness toward myself. I am a normal human being just trying to do my best and sometimes that means I am grumpy.

My 3 kids just came home from school. From the sounds of it, I might have 3 hungry little Crabasaurs on my hands. I guess I’ll have to make more room at the dinner table.

Whoa – what an interesting and challenging combination. What does it mean to be fiercely kind? It is easy for me to imagine and practice being fiercely protective or fiercely loyal. But I never considered fierce kindness.

What would be possible if I brought fierce intensity to being kind?

What would the world be like if we all took a stand to be deeply and intensely kind at some point each day?

I think I found my growing edge for this week. How about you? How will you experiment with fierce kindness?

Here is what we came up with…

Intuition is that deep sense of knowing that we can’t quite explain. Everyone has it – just like everyone has a mind of their own. Sometimes we very good at listening to the wisdom our intuition offers. Sometimes we actually talk ourselves out of listening to our intuition.

Intuition sends information through a variety channels:
• It can be that unexplained feeling that you just can’t shake.
• It can be a vivid image or symbol that appears out of nowhere.
• It can be a persistent thought that doesn’t go away.
• It can speak to you though physical sensations – a backache, a pain in the neck.
• For some it speaks in vivid dreams or visions.

Intuition is always right – however, our interpretation of the signals our intuition sends isn’t always accurate. How often have you found yourself saying – “I knew it! I knew something was up. I just couldn’t put my finger on it.”

When your intuition nudges you this week, get curious. Discover what you know, without knowing how you know it!