Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone

What happens when we choose to remain in the realm of our comfort zone? We neglect to take the opportunities that could otherwise expand our lives and create more joy, more value, and more benefit for both ourselves and others. The result? We remain where we are, forever wondering about how much greater our life would be if only we were to break free of our self-imposed shackles. The solution? To smash through the gremlin of self-doubt by understanding the values of courage, passion and determination.

Are You?

Wishing You Could Break Through Whatever’s Holding You Back?
Frustrated That You Could Be Achieving So Much More?
Prepared To Challenge Yourself?

Begin making the transformation today!

What’s In It For You?

Leave Your Self-Limiting Beliefs Behind
Make A Difference In Yourself And Others
Create Opportunities And Expand Your Horizons

By stepping out of our comfort zone, we find ourselves “stepping up to the plate” and revealing more and more of our innate potential. No longer do we look at ourselves through the lens of doubt, instead we wake up to the reality of our life and see the greatness that only we can manifest.

How do we achieve this? Simple – we get clear about our values and inspirations and transform them into compelling motivators for change. To begin with we ask questions of ourselves including: “What difference is it going to make?” “Who are the beneficiaries?” and “What opportunities may arise as a result?” This is where our values show up … then our inspirations … then over time, these turn into compelling factors that motivate us to the extent that we cannot not carry through with them. Result – the gremlin gets defeated and we move into a place of courage, passion and determination.

INQUIRY: Cast your mind back over recent weeks to when you had the opportunity to step out of your comfort zone but chose not to. Go through the questions above and get clear about what you could have achieved had you done so.

ACTION: Now look at the opportunities you have ahead of you … ask yourself the same questions … expand on them … which of your values do they call on … what is your inspiration … what motivates you to see them through to the extent that you cannot not carry through with them? Get clear about the benefits and make them a reality.

Make a habit of stepping out of your comfort zone

Visit www.rightlifecoaching.co.uk now for information on how to live a better life!

Best wishes

Simon

Give More To Get More

What happens when we allow greed to get the better of us? Typically we end up wanting more of the same - and beyond - convincing ourselves we’re on a roll and that we deserve all that’s coming our way. Once in this routine we can easily find ourselves becoming ever-more dependent, believing satisfaction to exist only in the constant fuelling of our desires. The result? We risk become blinkered to our environment, and think more of feeding ourselves than those around us. The solution? To learn the importance of giving, because in doing so, we’re making a cause that helps others as well as ourselves.

Are You?

Always Taking Whatever Comes Your Way Without Giving Back?
Constantly On The Look Out For More?
Frightened To Give For Fear Of Not Receiving Anything By Return?

Begin making the transformation today!

What’s In It For You?

Discover How Great It Is To Give Without Expecting By Return
Learn The Importance Of ‘Paying It Forward’
Watch Your Life Expand As Your Efforts Return To You With Interest

By allowing ourselves to become consumed by greed, we lose sight of our core values - our focus becomes insular and we seek more and more to be of service to ourselves rather than to others. With such short-sightedness sure to cost us in the end, we must strive to see the reality of our desires and develop ways of being and doing that create benefit for others as well as ourselves.

How do we achieve this? Simple – we start giving to others without making demands that we receive something by return. Examples include spending time with those who are important to us, supporting those who are struggling, and even simply doing what we can to keep our word. More than anything it’s about ‘paying it forward’ through compassion and willing. Result – we become increasingly genuine and understanding as a human being, which in turn reaps benefits for all as a result of the sincerity in our cause.

INQUIRY: Be honest and ask yourself how often you feel greed getting the better of you. What effect has this had for both you and those around you; your family; your friends; and your colleagues? What is the reality that motivates this way of being and doing? What would be the benefits of transforming this into a more selfless way of life?

ACTION: Make a list of the people you should be spending more time with; the people you should be supporting; the promises you need to keep. Get a feel for the benefits you could be creating for those other than yourself - these are all good causes for which you will be rewarded.

For the next thirty days, start putting these into action; call these people; spend time with them; discover what you can do for them. Be sure to come from a place of sincerity or they may feel you’re after something. If at first this feels alien, get curious as to the reasons behind this before transforming them into ways of being and doing. Be sure not to expect anything by return. Instead, build on that sincerity you’ve been bringing to the fore and let it shine through. At the same time, continue re-investing in your life all the benefits that come your way.

Make A Habit Of Giving More To Get More

Visit

http://www.rightlifecoaching.co.uk/ now for information on how to live a better life!

Best Wishes

Simon

How To Stop Being Judgmental Of People And Situations

Personally, I find this a really difficult habit to break, because it’s so easy to judge a person or situation when I’m unsure of what’s really happening, e.g. a friend doesn’t call when they say they will, someone you’re meeting doesn’t turn up and you’re unable to contact them, you make a negative assessment of someone (or a situation) based on third party information, and so on. How easy is it to slander like this? All too easy, I think, because it’s human nature. And we can let it escalate by casting our mind back over all the occasions when this same person or organisation disappointed us before. Yet, how do we really know what’s going on behind the scenes, or what that person is going through, etc? In most cases we can’t, so we make a guess, otherwise known as a judgment. And all too often these are negative and slanderous, yet they’re often dumbfounded.

INQUIRY: How do we go about transforming this? Is it a case of getting in the routine of recognising when you’re doing it, and stopping it before it continues, i.e. letting go of the judgment and getting on with things?

For the next seven days, make a determination not to judge people and situations. That doesn’t mean adopting a carefree attitude, instead it means either releasing the whole process altogether, or replacing it with compassion and understanding. Have a look at where the other party is coming from? What are they going through?

Sometimes It's Better To Admit You Just Don't Know

For years I was guilty of making out I knew more than I did. Sometimes it was a case of trying to impress, other times it was not wanting to admit I was wrong, and other times it was not wanting to appear ignorant about a topic or situation. Yet on just about every occassion I was perfectly aware of what I was doing but felt unable to prevent it. It felt as though I had to provide this 'cover' for fear of being found out. Yet all it was doing was compounding the issue by drawing attention to that very weakness. In worst-case scenarios it would lead me to fighting my corner even when I knew I was absolutely in the wrong, and with nothing to substantiate my argument with. All it did was create a layer of arrogance to paper over the insecurity, yet I did little to fix it.

It wasn't until four years ago when my partner at the time made it abundantly clear to me how irritating it was, that I decided it had to stop. Thankfully her words resonated enough for me to literally make the shift overnight. With immediacy I went from saying, "I know," to offering a curteous acknowledgement; and from making out I knew something I quite clearly didn't to offering something intuitive or simply admitting I really didn't know.

To begin with it was strange because it felt awkward to 'display' such a vulnerability. But over time, that in itself became the benefit because it was actually a relief not to have to pretend anymore. A self-imposed weight had been lifted from my shoulders and it felt great. I could even say it grounded me in a way. And ever since, I've noticed how many other people behave in exactly the same way. And guess what ... it irritates me too! But I also undertand where they're coming from because I was in that same place - that makes a difference.

INQUIRY: How often do you say "I know" when being 'corrected' by someone more knowledgeable who is just trying to help? How often do you try to make out you know or understand something when really you don't? How much awareness of this do you have, and how do you feel when it just blurts out?

ACTION: For the next seven days, do the following and notice how different you feel; instead of saying, "I know," when offered correct 'advice' by someone, acknowledge them; instead of coming up with a 'smart' reply or comment when pretending you know something, let go of the pretense and admit you just don't know. You may find it far more liberating than you thought ... and it will make a difference to the way you see yourself and the way others see you too.

Letting Go Of Providing An Answer For Everything

This is one of those really irritating habits that appears all too often, both when we pretend to know the answer (feeding our ego), and when we think we’re being helpful but know deep down we’re probably better off keeping quiet (another ego thing).

It’s definitely something I’ve been guilty of for years, and am only now beginning to quash. And I have to say that when I recognise it appearing, I get greater satisfaction in either remaining quiet, or saying something along the lines of “I don’t know.”

There’ll be more added to this shortly …

INQUIRY: How many occasions can you think of when you provided an answer, knowing it wasn’t the right thing to do. Were they with your partner, a friend, a colleague, or even someone you barely new? What would you do differently next time? Would you share the moment with them by just listening? Would you openly tell them you didn’t know the answer? Or would you do something else?

Analysing vs "Just Letting It Be"

I was on a course back in early May when I had the realisation that I no longer needed to be so analytical about everything. It came so out of the blue that I surprised myself when I didn’t even feel the need to analyse what had triggered it.

Since as far back as I can remember, I’ve been a thinker – a person who would analyse things – and would often be accused of over-analysing. Yet no-one had said to me, “Relax … just let it be …” All they would say was, “Stop analysing it,” and that would only incite me to analyse even more. You can see just how big I was on the whole analysing thing, eh? So when I had this shift in mindset during the course, I felt totally at ease without thinking about it. And it doesn’t matter that I don’t know where it’s come from. All I do know is that I’ve been attracting conversations ever since with people who’ve had the same experience. So I guess it’s happened for a reason – I just haven’t found what that is yet.

I’d just like to add that it’s made me feel ‘lighter’, perhaps even liberated, and that whatever it is I need to know comes to me at the right time. If I was to explain it, I’d say there may well be times in the future when I’ll need to think things through in more detail, but for the time being, I can ‘let it be.’ Off the top of my head, it’s like the feeling you get when something you want to say is on the tip of your tongue… then you forget all about it and suddenly it comes to you out of the blue, perhaps an hour later, a day later, or even a month later. Is it because we released attachment to forcing whatever it was we wanted to find out? Is it connected with the way our mind or consciousness works? Whatever it is, it’s working right now!

INQUIRY: Are you a thinker, or are you someone who prefers to let things work themselves out? How many profound experiences have you had based on this? Are you too changing the way you work things out?

Let Go Of Attachment To Outcomes

I have to be honest and say I’m experimenting with this one, and because I’m currently no longer analysing things, I’m not yet sure where it’s leading me. All I do know is that I feel a lot “lighter, and less stressed. It’s a strange feeling, but one that feels right. In fact, it feels as though the attachment element was breeding worry and concern, and that by removing it, I’m placing trust and faith in the right outcome manifesting itself at the right time.It really is a strange feeling, and one that people I’ve been meeting of late are identifying with. Perhaps it’s a stepping stone to something.

On a personal note, I believe that by creating goals and determination driven with the right intentions, you’re more likely to release your attachment … have a think about this and list anything that comes to mind. How much has your perspective changed?

INQUIRY: List some goals and determinations (or whatever you prefer to call them), and ask yourself how attached you are to the outcome. Is it natural for you to attach yourself to the outcome? If so, look at the intentions behind one or two goals you want to achieve in the next few days … if those intentions are good, then have a go removing your attachment … just “let it be.” How does it feel?

Fear Is The Gateway To Happiness

I heard someone mention this during the introduction to a training session recently, and I have to admit it landed really heavily with me. It was also exactly what I needed to hear, because I had been challenging my life more and more of late, and knew deep down that I had to continue doing so in order to expand my opportunities.

When given permission, fear can do so much to debilitate us. Yet when challenged and overcome, it can be banished for good, thus opening up all manner of avenues.

INQUIRY: Make a list of the things you fear in daily life and beyond. Think back over the last few days, perhaps even weeks … what obstacles and challenges have you had to overcome? And which have you chosen to shy away from?

ACTION: Now make a list of those you expect to face in the next few days. Right now, which are you likely to embrace as a challenge, and which are you likely to give in to?

Taking a look at both lists and ask yourself how much better your life would be if you were to conquer those fears. Be open and honest – you don’t have to share these with anyone. Just take a look at them by yourself. What steps could you take to conquer these fears?

The Benefits Of REALLY Listening

How many times have you been interrupted by someone before you’ve had the time to finish what you’re saying? Quite a few, I bet. How does it make you feel? Ignored … annoyed … perhaps even furious at times? And how many times do you do the same by return? Ah, now you see, the boot’s on the other foot!

So why do we do it? Probably a whole host of reasons; we’re impatient; we like the sound of our own voice; we’re not really interested in what the other person has to say; and that’s just to begin with. If all our conversations were like this, then how much good would come of them? Not a lot. So what’s the answer? How about listening for a change? And letting the other person finish? How do we do that? We forget about ourselves for a moment and really pay attention to the person who’s speaking – not just their words, but their meaning, their emotion, and where applicable, their body language.

INQUIRY: How often do you get annoyed by others who interrupt you as described above? And how often are you guilty of the same by return? What are you creating when you give someone the opportunity to speak fully.

ACTION: This week, pay special attention to your conversations. Call a halt to interrupting people when they’re speaking. Notice how it feels. In a polite and courteous way, encourage those who normally interrupt you to do the same. Again, notice how it feels.

Gratitude Pt I

This is something I’ve again struggled with for years - taking too much (and too many people) for granted. Don’t get me wrong – it wasn’t a case of being dismissive of others and their support, not at all – it was more a case of not realising how “lucky” I was. I think more often than not I was grateful on the inside, but perhaps chose not to express it. Either way, my perception on this has totally transformed in the last year or so, and now I’m grateful for everything in my life. I even have gratitude for the challenges ahead, knowing that some will be easier to embrace than others, but knowing at the same time that each of them is an opportunity for growth.

Having discussed with various people the value of expressing gratitude, I’m aware of how much confusion – and sometimes distress – it causes. For some, it’s very difficult – illogical even - while for others it’s straightforward and easy. Think, for a moment, of how you feel toward your parents, your friends, your environment. Which of these sit uncomfortably, and which sit easily?

INQUIRY: Grab a piece of paper, and on one side list all the things you’re grateful for in your life. Now turn it over and list all the things you feel you should be grateful for. How much of a discrepancy is there?

ACTION: Have a look at these lists every day for a week, and express your gratitude for each and every thing on there. If you’d like to do it through prayer, then that’s great. If you’d like to do it through thought, then that too is great. Perhaps if there’s a particular person you feel gratitude toward, then how about finding a way to express; perhaps through one of the above or something more tangible like a phone call or email. Whatever you do, make a note of how it feels. And where is this gratitude coming from?