Inspirational Parable ~ The Cracked Pot

A person carrying water had two large pots each hung on each end
of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had
a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always
delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk
from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived
only half full. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its
perfect accomplishments.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection.
This went on daily for two full years. And finally the imperfect
pot spoke to the water carrier one day by the stream. "I am
ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked
the carrier. "For two years, I have been able to deliver only
half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak
out all the way back to your house," the pot said. The water
carrier replied, "As we return to the house, I want you to notice
the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up
the hill, the cracked pot noticed there were beautiful wild
flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some.

But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had
leaked out half its load, and so again the Pot apologized for its
failure. The carrier said to the pot, "Did you notice that there
were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other
pot's side? Every day while we walk back from the stream, you've
watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these
beautiful flowers to decorate my table. Without you being just
the way you are, I would not have this beauty to grace my house."

Know that in our weakness we find our strength

Nelson Mandela

"If you are humble, you are no threat to anybody. Some behave in a way that dominates others. That's a mistake. If you want the cooperation of humans around you, you must make them feel they are important—and you do that by being genuine and humble. You know that other people have qualities that may be better than your own. Let them express them."

Why Wait?

I have noticed a common theme with my clients and people I have spoken to. When asked if they are glad that they have made changes, they tell me “yes” but their only regret is that they did not make the changes sooner.

With waiting being such a common regret, why do we so often resist making a change? My best guess is fear! Even when we are unhappy where we are fear keeps us from doing what we will later regret not doing sooner. We have a fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of achieving. Fear of change can be very confronting.

Good news is, is that if we make a change that we are unhappy with, we can change it again, and allow each experience to teach us something. Change is constant and all change is a process, so any movement is better than staying stagnant. Instead of waiting for a change to come to you, go ahead and make a change, even the smallest of changes is better than doing nothing.

I find that people regret more what they don’t do than what they do. Lose the wait and begin making the change you want now happen. Life is about experimenting and discovering, not playing it safe and staying stuck.

Ask yourself “What is one thing in my life I will regret not doing this year?” Promise yourself to live without regret and figure out a way to start making it happen. You don’t have to do it all at once, change takes time. Take small steps and commit to doing at least one thing a day that will move you closer to the change you want.

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life and in change there is power." Alan Cohen

New Years Intentions vs. New Years Resolution

In less than one months time the majority of us are going to set some New Years Resolutions for 2010. Why do so many people talk of, and even admit to, making New Year's resolutions when almost none of them will be kept?

Statistics show that somewhere in the vicinity of 97% of New Year's resolutions won't be kept.…why? The reasons are simple…
1. Most people expect not to keep a resolution
2. Most don't know how to truly set goals or don't believe it matters

Try instead to set an Intention for your new life – not just your new year. List your top 3 commitments for your personal health and wellness and build them into your everyday life. Look for the bigger need behind the desire, what is really important for you? It may be to have more sleep and rest, get more relaxation and fun, add physical activity into everyday, eat with awareness or just be grateful and reflect on the day.

Structure + willpower = success
Willpower alone will not work; it must be combined with structures. Allow your structures to become habits by using your daily planner, working with a buddy or coach and remember to reward yourself for successes. Focus on the end result.

Through accountability and having support systems in place the seemingly unattainable can become achievable.

“Whether we realize it or not, all of us are responsible for creating the body we live in.”— Deepak Chopra

This short quote can pack quite a punch. Our dear friend has just experienced a heart attack and we are very grateful he will have a full recovery though he realizes that some life changes are overdue. This scary experience also highlighted to me and my family not to take our bodies for granted. The little” tap on the shoulder” was a wake up call to look after our bodies and treat them with respect.

We choose what we put into it and how we keep it maintained. Most people are very aware of outward appearances by wearing clean and neat clothes and being well groomed. We are also aware of the importance of looking after and maintaining a car, bike, house or boat and know that it will not run efficiently if we do not keep it regularly tuned up and serviced. So why is then that we take our own bodies for granted until something happens? Take some time to give your body an overhaul. Do a self diet and fitness check list, be honest and if needed get some assistance? Ask where you need improving on and what needs to go! Make a visit for a medical and eye check and a dental check and any other check that you have been putting off. Invest in yourself, cause you are not only doing yourself and your loved ones a favour, you are showing respect and gratitude for the wonderful body you where given.

We don’t know what our future holds for us, but we can have some say on what condition it will be in.

Complementary Consultation

Being a business owner, executive or professional has such a knee jerk reaction with the amount of time spent at work; it throws other areas of your life way out off balance.

I have asked my clients to list some of the consequences of this unbalanced life style, and have found a pattern emerging.

Can you say yes to some or all of these:-

• Suffering ill health or often getting colds or injury
• Tired and lack energy
• Limited family time
• Feeling stressed
• Lacking creativity in decision making
• Personal fitness not getting a look in
• Relationship breakdowns

I am offering 50 Complimentary Consultations over the next several weeks, to invite professionals to focus on how their Work/Life balance is looking. I will send you a form with 4 questions to answer regarding your current Work/Life Balance and when you return to me, we will book a free 30 minute phone consultation. Email me at julie@lifefocusplus.com with Complementary Consultation in the heading and make the first step toward bringing that much needed balance back into your life.

Never Enough Time?

Never Enough Time?

Does that sound familiar to you?

Is it really true?

If your work day is not long enough and work commitments are the problem, we can look at just a few changes that could make your day flow easier, such as making lists, prioritising tasks, taking 10 minutes at the end of the work day to plan your next day, block off time where you cannot be disturbed and stick to it. All these things you all ready know, right?

Is it your home and social life suffering without enough hours? Are you being realistic with what you want to achieve with the time you have to achieve it? Or is your time being stolen by activities that do not serve you i.e. watching too much television, sleeping in when you could be out and about, doing things or being with people who are not feeding your soul or are you just straight out procrastinating?

There always has been and will be 24 hours in a day ~ what you do with it is up to!

As a coach I work with Time Management and Life / Work Balance, these are important issues that affect everyone. Time is something that once it is gone, you cannot get back. This is reality!

At the beginning of each week is a great time to review and plan the brand new week ahead. Prioritise and plan what you want to achieve during the week and ask yourself how important it is for to accomplish it? If it is something of high importance, either for work or personal, block off time for it in your diary now! If it is a large project, you may need to block out several times during the week, or over a few weeks, to work on this goal. Be realistic and don’t overstretch yourself. If a goal is not of a high importance, you can still give it time during your week, but allow it to be moved if needed. Give yourself permission to replace it with a higher priority task without feeling guilty. It can be re-diarised for a later date – just re-schedule it, at the time of moving so it is not forgotten, know that it is out of your head. It is likely that it will become a high priority at a later date.

If your time management, or lack of it, is causing you stress, it may be time to work with a coach who can help you with your day to day activities. Are your goals in line with your values? Do you know what your true values are? Visit my website and do the Values Worksheet to find out http://www.lifefocusplus.com/

Who, exactly seeks out a coach? -” Winners who want even more out of life." -Chicago Tribune