My News
Last weekend was the first running of the Changing for Good course. From an initial idea I had two years ago, something real and tangible has been created. Although it's too early to know whether permanent change has been made, the feedback received this week from the brave pioneers is that we attained our aim to give the tools techniques and beliefs to enable the behaviour change to happen.
We will be running more courses in the new year as we are committed to helping people change their behaviour. Whether the behaviour is to give up some addiction, change some ineffective habits, or is abusive or violent, we believe this course can support you change your behaviour.
During the next few weeks we will be updating our website with further dates, and testimonials from some of the participants. The website is www.changingforgood.co.uk and we plan to report on the courses' effectiveness over the coming months.
My Muse
All progress is preceded by awareness. I've spent a lot of time over the past few weeks contemplating how to make effective personal change, and I've also been aware for some time how when I discuss coaching, some people just look blankly at me!
Then the above phrase came to mind. I'm not sure if it's something I've read or heard somewhere or if it's an original thought, but I kept hearing it and it helped me to understand what I'm doing.
I believe that we humans are creatures of habit and that we associate what we do with who we are. We think that if we change what we do then it won't feel right. So we keep doing what we do because it feels right. Many people have described this as staying in our comfort zone.
It's funny how many of us will reply, "I just want to be comfortable" when asked for their ambitions. Yet they don't want to do anything to get to that imagined place! I'm not sure that this place actually exists.
What seems to be true is that if we do want to make improvements or progress in our life we need to become aware of what's not as good as it could be. This can feel uncomfortable when we admit we could be better husbands & wives, better parents, better children, more successful in our jobs, healthier, and better contributors to others. Actually it can make you feel lousy that there are so many areas that we don't come up to the mark!
Which would be missing the point. Whatever your situation there is always more that we can be doing, that's the nature of potential. The more you achieve the more there is to achieve. Thank God or what would be the point of living? Reach your goals and die? No thank you very much!
The way I see it is that all the time we are being presented with choices and it's how we act in the moment of choice that creates our behaviour and consequently our results.
So in order to gain better results we need to accept that there will always be more to do and gain than we can ever achieve. We cannot change this fact, and our lives can have meaning and purpose within this context.
With this awareness we can start making choices that make our lives better, discovering that when we embrace life outside our comfort zone we really discover what it is to be truly alive.
Book Recommendation
Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle
This book by the author of The Power of Now is a little gem. It contains 200 snippets of wisdom. Here's an example:
When you receive whoever comes into the space of Now as a noble guest, when you allow each person to be as they are, they begin to change.
I found it was one of those books that I want to read slowly, to savour each word and phrase. I found it much easier to digest than The Power of Now.
Click here to buy this book
Opportunity to Contribute
Click and give!
www.whizz-kidz.org.uk/page.asp
EasyJet donate 25p to a children's charity every time you click on the EasyJet icon (half way down right hand side). It doesn't cost you a penny, You can click only once per computer. Pass it on!
