How a positive mindset impacts us

SIG: Energy Work and Coaching: The Next Wave
Presenter: Rhona Post, MA MCC
Date: Monday, November 21 2011, 11:00 a.m. (New York)

Building upon the input from the October session, how our private and public identities often keep us from experiencing wholeness, our November session steps us into the conversation about how what we think shapes our actions, reactions and outcomes.

Joining us is Sandy Mobley, MCC and certified Core Individuation practitioner to discuss the value and benefits of having a positive mindset. We will expand the conversation to focus on the integration of energy work to support an individual’s ability to resolve or release conditioned patterns that have limited one’s experience of creativity, joy and satisfaction.

For example, what triggers a “victim consciousness” and how does that consciousness shape the person’s worldview? Is the person even aware that his/her victim consciousness informs all that he/she says and does? Have you noticed how blind we are to our conditioned tendencies? Or how hard we fight to hold onto what we know and do, even when these tendencies are harmful to our health?


Rhona Post, MCC



As I build the healer coach identity, I am grateful for the support and input my coaching colleagues provide on these calls. We are opening up the door to deepening our spirituality and skill to work more effectively with powerful emotions—two areas where we often feel vulnerable whether we are coaching others or coaching ourselves.

If you are interested in healer coaching and would like to experience working with a certified energy practitioner, please contact me at rpost@thehealercoach.com to set up your healing session.

Rhona Post, MA MCC, Certified Core Individuation Practitioner; +1.941.554.8466

Networking tips to try

Networking: we all have to do it. Like everything in life, some people are better at working a room than others. But being a little shy doesn’t mean that you cannot learn to network effectively.
 
Below you will find three simple networking tips that you can put to use at the next event you attend:

1. Check your attitude at the door. Before you even walk into the room, you need to prepare yourself mentally for what lies ahead. Three ways to prepare yourself: push negative thoughts out of your mind; determine what you hope to accomplish/who you hope to interact with; and take a deep breath and smile!
   
2. Be prepared. Your mindset is not the only thing that needs to be prepared before a networking event. If you often find yourself tongue-tied around new people, two ways to feel comfortable include having your introduction in place and several questions ready to ask. Your introduction shouldn’t take any more than ten seconds to recite and it should be clear and interesting. Practicing will make it sound natural (and you will be more confident when it comes across smoothly). Also, having a few open-ended questions ready will make starting conversations a breeze.
   
3. Remain curious. Approach networking and meeting new people with a curious mind. On that note, it is important to network across industries (not only your own). Make a point to expand your horizons and attend meetings of groups you are not already a part of.

Have a few tips of your own? Share it with us below in the comments field, over on our Facebook page or via Twitter.

Broth, soup or stew – where are you?

The below post originally appeared on Joanna Bennett’s blog, Minimalist Self, on November 1. Joanna is a student at Adler Learning in Toronto.

No, this isn’t a post about cooking.

Although, if food could be used as a metaphor about choice and the quality of the menu items we pick daily, then perhaps this is a recipe for discovery about ourselves!

At Adler last week, we engaged in a variety of creative exercises to assist with our coaching studies. One morning we were handed a sheet of coloured art paper and a few pastels. Our task was to create the cover of a book we were going to write in the future about our past 5 years as professional coaches. Not only an excellent visioning tool to use with clients but what a great way to design our own future!

The title, “Broth, Soup or Stew – Where Are You?” came to me in the previous week when the term ‘soup’ came up a few times. Is a client comfortable sitting in their own ‘soup’ or is it slowing them down? When discussing scenerios that could be worse than soup, I said “they are stuck in stew!” Since clients come to us to accompany them as they embrace an exciting new path, I thought of broth as a healthy choice to sip on – or inhale in one gulp!

So as a coach, I ask: Where are you?

I love soup. On a beautiful autumn day, homemade cream of [insert root vegetable here] satiates my need for something comforting. I could improve the nutritional value by making soup with yummy lentils! (low on sodium of course!) Regardless of content, we’ve all heard about soup being good for the soul. I’m gripping a spoon in one hand and the bowl with the other, head bent over blowing off the steam.

Some days however, I want to fill up on stew. Chunky ingredients stuck together with dumplings ideally, paired with a hearty glass of red wine. I’m in winter now, lights out, the winds are howling and hurling snow at the windows. Candles are burning low and so am I. Sometimes it’s necessary to go underground and hide out. It may also become difficult to remember what life has to offer. I leave a light on at the door to remind me of the way out.

So what does a a simple, clear broth offer me? Not a lot of sustenance. Doesn’t support a spoon or even cling to it. Broth can easily drop in temperature. But since I can drink it from a mug, my hands can wrap around it to keep it warm longer. I don’t even need a spoon. If it becomes stale, I get up, go to my kitchen and reheat it. Requiring only one hand to hold the vessel, I can transport it to a cozy chair by the window. As I pause to look out at the trees, I am mesmerized by the dancing colours. I look down at my broth and see reflections of my environment. This place makes the most sense to me.

There are times when we need to sit still. Hopefully, there are just rare occasions when we need to hide. For the creative, resourceful and whole human being, building momentum on our mindfulness allows for conscious appreciation of what we have and where we are going.

I think I just made myself hungry! Time for lunch.



Joanna Bennett

 Joanna Bennett is a highly creative person who desires living as consciously as possible and engaging with those around her. After many years of 'naval gazing' as an actor and the sometimes solitary work as a freelance sign language interpreter, Jo is embarking on a new career that embraces moving forward in this valuable life and allows her to have meaningful conversations with others. With the goal of becoming an ICF certified coach, Jo is thriving on the education at Adler Learning in Toronto! One passion that does tie together all careers and the values above is her love of writing. For more thoughts on mindfulness with a focus on self-employment, please subscribe to her blog: http://minimalistself.wordpress.com/.  

Three easy things ICF members can do this week

So you belong to the ICF…but are you really maximizing your membership? This occasional topic series will highlight those things you can do to ensure you are making the most of your connection to the ICF.

1) Are you aware of the ICF Resource Partners? ICF Resource Partners offer discounts or special pricing to ICF members on their various goods and services. Currently, there are 15 partners offering such resources as audio services, insurance, and everything in-between. Learn more about each and how they can help grow your business.

2) Do you know about the member-only tools and resources at Coachfederation.org? Various marketing materials exist at Coachfederation.org that can assist in growing your business. Examples include: Top ten indicators to refer a client to a mental health professional, How to write an effective press release, and Tips for an online media room. These items are saved on a page called Assets and Tools. Take a look at available Assets and Tools.

3) Are you using the ICF logo in your marketing initiatives? If you aren’t, you should! The logo is downloadable at Coachfederation.org and is a great way to show the world your affiliation with the ICF through your website, business cards, e-mail signature, etc. The logo is available in different file formats and in color or black and white. Download the ICF logo.

How are you maximizing your membership?

Ignite passion!

I. Care. For. Three simple words that can reflect so much. In late 2010, then ICF President Giovanna D’Alessio, MCC, shared her idea of the “I Care For” campaign with the ICF membership. Drawing from the association’s branding work at the time, ICF members from across the world shared that “they see themselves not only as part of the ICF community, but also part of something much greater.”

Everyone on this planet—coach and client, has something that ignites passion. Be it a favorite charity, a local cause or effort, or some other service to humanity, everyone has something that can spark emotion—and ultimately, action.

The best part about “I Care For” is that each of our individuality shines through. What I care about may or may not be what the next person over cares about. But if we all do our part, we are all helping in our own way. And it subsequently makes the world a better place. [Remember, no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. (Aesop)]

So, what is it for you? What ignites passion in your life and how are you feeding it? Share it below in the comments, write on our Facebook wall, tweet us or shoot us an email at icfpr@coachfederation.org.