It has been my privilege over the last six years to partner with remarkable women (and sometimes men and couples) in realizing more joy and fulfillment in their lives! The life coaching process inspires you to be more present to your inner truth and create deep and lasting change that supports your growth.

Every so often, I am awed by the utter courage of one my clients. Remember, courage is feeling the fear and still taking right action. This type of courage requires profound clarity and oodles of support (queue Jane Sibery singing “Calling All Angels”).

One such inspiring client made a courageous leap in her life this week and wrote a manifesto to declare her intentions. She has given me permission to share it! Click on the image to see a larger version.

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I had such an amazing experience last year as the Life Coach for the 2010 winner of the Portland Mama Makeover, Andrea Moore! She inspired me with her courage, her authenticity and dedication to healing.

The Portland Mama Makeover is a holistic, from the inside-out, makeover for one lucky mama each year. There are also mini-makeovers for runners-up. The businesses and practitioners who support the winner for the 8 weeks are some of the most talented and dedicated in Portland, OR.

I met this year’s winner, Carrie Hartley, last week to begin our series of 6 Life Coaching sessions. We quickly realized that our focus would be fostering a deeper sense of self-love and acceptance. In her words: “Baby steps… I am learning how to do this. Love myself, love myself, love myself…”

You can follow her experience on the Mama Makeover blog and also follow them on Facebook for on-going prizes.  It is sure to be an inspiring journey!

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Happy 2011!

If you are focusing on some New Year’s intentions or resolutions, I encourage you to read my column this month in Portland Woman Magazine. It is all about the 5 reasons most resolutions fail and how to insure that your resolution sticks! Just hit click on Portland Woman Magazine (link here) and then click on the current issue. You can then use the scroll button on the bottom left hand page to choose my column, “Get a Life (coach)!” The article will open right up. Use the magnifying glass icon to zoom in and make the print larger. Enjoy!

No matter how you feel about resolutions this year, I encourage you to invest some time and energy into thinking about who you want to be in 2011. You see, every day you wake up and make choices, not just through your actions but also through your beingness. This year do you want to be the victim or the hero of your circumstances? Will you be the healer of your own heart or will you continue to judge yourself? Will you be the creator of your most secret dreams or will you stifle them once again?

Above all, my hope for you this year: come home to yourself. Be the most authentic you possible!

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If you are feeling stressed with all the busyness of the season, listen to my radio interview on Single Parents Unplugged about how to nurture yourself during busy times and how to identify your stress signals!

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I had the privilege of being interviewed by fellow Life Coach Amy Pearson this week! Please listen to this short interview on self-nurture! I know that you will be inspired by the idea of making self-care more simple and reasonable in your life!

Also, I have a new coaching column in Portland Woman Magazine! “Get a life (coach)!” will be featured in every issue, with insights to guide you in your every day life. You can pick it up free in various locations in Portland, Oregon (like the library or grocery store) or read it on-line. Just follow the link and flip to page 27.

I was also delighted to write a feature story about Andrea Moore, the winner of the Mama Makeover contest for Portland Family Magazine. You can also pick that up free in Portland, Oregon or read it on-line on page 12. Her story is so inspiring, you don’t want to miss it!

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Photo by Campbell Salgado Studio

The 2010 Portland Mama Makeover is coming to an end this week. It has been an amazing experience to work with Andrea Moore, this year’s winner. I had the honor of being her personal life coach for this healing journey; we cried, laughed and dreamed together over the two months.

After weekly sessions of Pilates, acupuncture, bodywork, coaching and more, the changes in her are dramatic. She is stronger, sits up taller and holds herself with more intention. Her after-makeover photo session with Campbell Salgado Studios speaks volumes about the difference this experience has had in her body.

Her energy level has increased and she often talks about a new feeling of “aliveness.” She has had some incredible moments of clarity that are opening doors in her life in several directions. I can’t wait to see which ones she chooses to step through!

Andrea wrote a tender blog about our coaching work together. If you want to be inspired by a woman who is truly willing to live fully, even after suffering a devastating loss, take a moment to read her story.

I am already looking forward to next year’s Mama Makeover!

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Last week I had the pleasure of being interviewed on Single and Unplugged, an internet radio show dedicated to supporting and inspiring single parents. My topic was self nurture: how to tend to yourself when time and money are often limited. It was a great show and I think the information and insights are relevant to any busy parent, single or partnered. Please listen and share with your friends!

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Did you do the self-limiting beliefs exercise in Part I? If so, what did you learn about the thoughts that limit you and keep you stuck?

The good news is that these thoughts are in your mind and you are the one that gives them power and meaning! That means… you can change them! As a matter of fact, you are the only one who can!

How?

Through a powerful process of inquiry that doesn’t just work with your conscious mind, it allows your deeper consciousness to participate as well.

Step 1: Identify the thought or belief. A common one that comes up with women is: “Taking care of myself is selfish.”

Step 2: Ask yourself: How does this thought/belief make me feel? Thinking that taking care of yourself is selfish is likely to make you feel resentful, tired and cranky. Every time you have an opportunity to rest or nurture yourself, your mind tells you that you should be productive or that someone else needs your attention. If you follow that self-limiting thought, you are going to burn yourself out and not be very fun to be around!

Step 3: Consider:  Where did this thought/belief come from? Perhaps you had selfless female role models who never took time for themselves (and maybe made others pay for it later). You might get this idea from cultural beliefs about the way women or mothers should act. Maybe you have a deep feeling of unworthiness that says that you have not earned or do not deserve to take care of yourself. Often women come to the deeper self-limiting belief that says: “I am not worth taking care of.”

Step 4: Be curious: Is this thought/belief 100% true? Does self-care automatically equate selfishness? Most women that I know who are worried about being selfish are the ones who are so committed to their families, work or community that they give and give and give… Selfishness is being so concerned with yourself that you never think of or care for the needs of others. True self-care is simply being in balance: caring for yourself and others!

Step 5: Shift it!  If the self-limiting thought is not true, what would be a more honest thought/belief that also reflects your values? Of course you want to care for others and you truly need to take care of yourself so that you have love and attention to share. A new thought might be: When I take care of myself, I have more to give to the people and activities in my life!

Step 6: Take action!  What can I do that reflects my new thought/belief? Self-limiting thinking is addictive and we have formed habits that correspond with these thoughts. In order to truly change them, you have to be willing to form new habits. If you are committed to taking better care of yourself so you have more to share with those you love, you might finally listen to your body and start going to yoga. Maybe you are going to let something go that you have been doing out of obligation. Or perhaps you will take some time each week to paint, dance or practice your favorite musical instrument. Chose something that nourishes you!

Transforming self-limiting thinking will change your life and relationships. And,  you are doing it as much for those you love as for yourself.  When you are not willing to buy into limiting thoughts, you inspire those around you to question their own. If you are a parent, you will be teaching your children to think more positively.

Leave a comment and share what self-limiting thought/belief you are shifting!

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Today the little monkey and I ate an entire watermelon, met friends at the park to play, took the styder balance bike around the neighborhood and enjoyed a long snugly nap together.

I always look forward to Fridays! It is the one week day that I don’t work so I make it my day to play with the little guy. And usually Friday nights are movie night with my sweetie.

Before the little monkey was born, Papa Bear and I bonded over movies.  I remember early in our dating (first date maybe?) when he told me that his favorite movie (and he had seen it like 20 times) was Blade Runner, I swooned (and not just because I was thinking about Harrison Ford). We enjoyed going to Cinema 21 and catching new indie films and watching old favorites on the big TV. The big guy even has a degree in Film and dreams of finishing his screen play and shooting his motorcycle movie. I know one day he will.

These days, we don’t get to the movies very often. And, only recently has the little monkey been sleeping consistently enough for us to really sink into a good flick at home. When we do, I sometimes have a sensation of the old “us.”  A couple of movie geeks who like real buttered popcorn, beautiful cinematography, skillful direction and the magic of human drama unfolding on screen. It is a good reminder because like most couples, we get really caught up in the business of living.

So tonight the Self Nurture is all about movie night!

How about you?

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Do you have a busy mind? Do you feel more comfortable being productive, “getting things done” and being in motion? Do you tend to over-think or make assumptions?

If so, you are a lot like me! I have always struggled with the delicate balance between doing and being. Because I write a blog about mindfulness in mothering, you might assume that I am a master of meditation and mindfulness.

WRONG!

I am the one who needs every single one of my own reminders. I write this blog for myself more than anyone!

Yes, I have taught yoga, given over 500 massages, gone on Vipassana Retreats, led hundreds of meditation and mindfulness exercises. I even offer body-centered coaching to help my clients calm their minds and connect with their bodies.

And still, I am learning. For me, it is a daily practice.

In Buddhism, this busy mind is called the monkey mind. Imagine a room, full of screeching monkeys! It is restless and unsettled, never content in the present moment. It creates anxiety, feelings of dissatisfaction and distraction. The monkey mind will always have you doubt yourself.

My Self Nurture practice today was to focus my thoughts on being present in the moment.

Did you know that we have an average of 60.000 thoughts per day? And many of those thoughts are fears about something that might (or might not) happen, assumptions about what other people think about us and self-limiting beliefs. No wonder we get so stressed!

So today when my mind wandered away from focusing on present time, I gently nudged it back. When I remembered…Because you know how quickly the monkey mind takes over!

Here are three questions that inspire present-time thinking:

1. What am I feeling (emotions and sensations) right now?

2. Where is my attention?

3. What do I need to be more present in this moment? Sometimes it is simple like a glass of water or a deep breath. Other times it is more complex, like completing a task that is distracting me or talking about something this is bothering me.

Being present is an empowering and nurturing practice. Only in present time can I really enjoy my life, connect with my loved ones and take actions that make a difference in my health and well-being.

How are you nurturing yourself today?

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